Innovation advice when you need it

"Innovation is absolutely everything, because the attention span of the consumer today is shorter than it's ever been. So unless you're constantly wanting to change, evolve and innovate, you just become irrelevant very quickly. "

Peter Williams, founder of Jack Wills

Colin Meager, innovation support team leader at Scottish Enterprise, introduces why innovation is more important than ever in our fast-paced, ever-changing world.

"Most businesses recognise that they won’t stay competitive unless they do something new. However, that's often where the challenge lies. Simply knowing where to start can be tricky. 

"Launching a new product or service, or making improvements to existing ones might seem daunting at first. And investing time and money in a new development, while you're up to you ears in 'business as usual' can put added pressure on the business when resources are perhaps tight.

"That's where we come in. 

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"Our specialist team of advisers can provide you with expertise and experience to take a concept forward and to transform it into a commercially viable proposition.

"Each specialist works with a large portfolio of companies, across all sectors, providing information, tailored action plans, access to networks and external support and, where appropriate, funding. 

"Described as acting as “challengers and champions” to the business, the specialists can help you plan your route from concept to validation and implementation. 

"Breaking new ground can be tough and having experienced advisers to work with you through the process can be the difference between failure and success.

"If you're looking at a new business model, new market opportunities or releasing a new product or service, our innovation advisers are here to help." 

Get in touch with our innovation advisers

Prescription for innovation

Our innovation and intellectual property support helped the Safer Prescribing of Opiods Tool (SPOT) platform develop a life-saving solution to reduce medical error.

Led and validated by clinicians, the Safer Prescribing of Opioids Tool (SPOT) platform is a new medical device designed to reduce opioid prescribing error.

It's something of a breakthrough for the industry - allowing users to access up-to-date prescription information and calculate drug dosages through their smartphones.

Spun out of a partnership between the University of Dundee, NHS Tayside, Digital Health Institute and Scottish Enterprise, it’ll be the first clinically-validated opioid converter in clinical practice.

With all prescriptions in the SPOT system recorded, the system can be used for clinical governance purposes – improving accountability for prescribing and providing evidence for re-validation.

We met Dr Roger Flint, founder and medical doctor, to discuss how our innovation and intellectual property support helped SPOT grow from a bright idea into a viable business.

"Help from the innovation support team and intellectual assets specialists at Scottish Enterprise and Business Gateway has been pivotal to the success of the business, " says Roger,  "enabling execution of the business idea with confidence and speed.

"The intellectual property audit set the framework for the company, clarified the IP position, and provided the necessary reassurance to pursue the innovation."

Read Dr Flint's full story