Pollinators was a regional voice for innovation at the State Innovation Summit in Perth on July 28.
Pollinators Learning Lead Andrew Outhwaite was invited to join as an ‘Innovation Leader’ to advise the Minister on how to position Western Australia to prosper in this era of rapid global change.
Pollinators webcast the summit to its CityHive location on Marine Terrace to enable Mid West people to watch proceedings live.
Outcomes from the summit will form the base of the State Innovation Strategy, following the Liberal National Government’s allocation of an additional $20 million over four years for Innovation in the 2016-17 Budget.
Mr Outhwaite said the summit was a good start in the state-wide conversation on better supporting innovation.
Mr Outhwaite said his participation at the summit highlighted to him how some of the initiatives in the Mid West were leading the State, and he was glad to have had some influence in getting other regional participants along to the forum.
“The Mid West is really looked up to by other regions for its strategy development and collaboration on support for innovation. While stakeholder dialogue about priorities is important, the Mid West and State are in similar positions where our actions and actual investment in the ecosystem are lagging behind the rhetoric,” Mr Outhwaite said.
“Our work with the Mid West Development Commission is regarded by others around the State as quite strategic and has been cited in the discussions with the Minister. Being clear about definitions, benefits, focus industries and investing in what’s already emerging are all tactics to ensure the greatest public good comes from these high-leverage investments by government.”
Neat definition, framework for #wainnovation from #regionalwa to inform State strategy https://t.co/FDMQVis7vC pic.twitter.com/vV34AYLNmp
— Pollinators Inc (@PollinatorsInc) July 28, 2016
State Innovation Minister Bill Marmion said the summit was about encouraging new ideas and mapping out the best ways to maximise business opportunities, in industries ranging from digital technology to mineral resources.
He said it focused on four themes: investment, marketing, collaboration and retaining WA’s homegrown and often prodigious talent for the benefit of all West Australians.
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