Innovation campaign set to ignite businesses

AN INNOVATION campaign has begun to help businesses flourish in the Highlands and Islands.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s ‘HIE time to innovate’ (#HIEtime) campaign will provide companies with the tools to get their projects off the ground.

The innovation day will be launched tomorrow (Friday February 16) when firms will have access to a free 24-hour hotline.

There will be opportunities to book one-to-one consultations with innovation experts and the chance to apply for a share of £24,000 funding.

HIE’s innovation team has supported more than 500 local organisations and awarded 30 small business grants totalling over £270,000.

As a result of the small injection of funding, HIE has directly increased employment by almost 80. The HIE time to innovate #HIEtime campaign aims to build on these successes by extending the support, to the as yet untapped pool of businesses that could benefit from innovation.

Gillian Galloway, HIE’s head of innovation, said: ‘It’s crucial for companies to embrace innovation if they want to remain competitive in their market.

‘Innovation can take many shapes and forms, from the big eureka moments like AirBnB, to a smart technology like Amazon Alexa, or something on the scale of Laggan Dam’s hydro power.

‘However, some of the best innovations can come from small usability changes to existing products, new ways to deliver services to customers or improving internal processes. While these changes may appear relatively small, the overall impact they may have can be huge.’

To access HIE’s 24-hour hotline tomorrow (Friday February 16) or to book a session with HIE’s innovation consultants, call 0300 013 5041.