Pollinators mission is to nurture people and innovations that enable healthy, resilient communities. Our expertise in innovation within organisations, generating new innovations with our members and partners, and growing a culture of innovation has lead to invitations to advise on this this ‘agenda’ can be taken further and implemented in regional communities.
Below are extracts and links to download the draft Innovation Agenda for the Mid West, completed in partnership with the Mid West Development Commission, Phase 1 will be completed shortly, and Phase 2 has begun.
Phase 2 will be six months of learning through action about how to create a culture of innovation and turn ideas and opportunities into significant social, economic and environmental outcomes. Review the guide to learning opportunities and innovation support services.
This report is part of Phase 1 in an Innovation Strategy for the Mid West. This document broadly defines agenda, framework and precedents for innovation in our region and relates it to the national, state and regional policies and programs.
Download the Draft Mid West Innovation Agenda
The Mid West Blueprint outlines ambitious aspirations that can only be achieved through growing a culture of innovation and investing in an ecosystem of programs, projects and initiatives. The visions of being ”a diverse and entrepreneurial business and export economy” and “the most desirable, adaptive and connected communities in Australia” require development or introduction of new or significantly improved goods, services, processes, methods and organisations.
The Mid West is blessed with assets, organisations, strategies and stakeholders committed to these aspirations and already demonstrating considerable levels of innovation. Still, for the Mid West to continue as a leader in innovation, strategic investments must be made in:
· Growing innovation in our region, across all sectors, venture stages and ages,
· Complementing the core economic focus on traded Clusters with investment in the broader Culture of innovation and delivering social, environmental and community outcomes,
· Maturing the whole “ecosystem” of policies, services and soft infrastructure,
· Ensuring investment in innovations aligns with Blueprint aspirations.
This ‘Agenda’ presents a framework and concepts to enable collaboration on growing an Innovation culture.
Key concepts for agreement and dissemination include:
· Curve – differentiating investment in innovation from general development or growth,
· Cube – defining common drivers, triggers, enablers and typology of innovations,
· Spiral – shared understanding of the stages of innovations, and common challenges,
· Ecosystem – generic global map relating supporting policies, networks, infrastructure etc.
· Landscape – identifying the most important policies, projects, stakeholders for this region,
· Clusters – traded clusters core to economic development, with a dedicated facilitation team,
· Cases – ventures, champions we can all look to as examples of innovation in practise.
The recommended scope for growing the Mid West’s culture of Innovation is to invest in services, programs, communication and specific interventions (‘Boosters’). This work must 1) complement, not confuse, the Core focus on traded Clusters driving economic growth, 2) enable innovation across a broader range of sectors, stages and demographics of participants…all in service of a Culture.
The five threads of activity are:
1. Ecosystem – Conducive policies, platforms, networks, programs, R&D and investment,
2. Services – Useful tools, analysis, support and facilitation services for innovators and clusters,
3. Communication – Cases, branding, briefings and showcasing of regional innovation,
4. Sustainability – Innovations that achieve social, cultural and environmental aspirations,
5. Boosters – Sourcing investment to accelerate growth of culture and specific ventures.
Review the guide to learning opportunities and innovation support services.
