Crubag owner Jessica Giannotti, from Oban, is full of praise for the HIE innovation team.

CRÙBAG, a textile company inspired by marine research and oceans and based in Oban, has been working with HIE’s innovation team since the company’s inception.

Owner and founder Jessica Giannotti said of the partnership: ‘HIE has always been on my side from the very beginning. I’ve benefited from their courses, mentorship, network introductions and small grant funding.

‘It’s been a generous, very human, informative experience. An essential one too, as often businesses are left to fend for them themselves but partnering with HIE gives you that extra edge.

‘For me, innovation is something that should always be present in our business discussions. If we don’t solve problems we become stagnant.’

Gillian Galloway, HIE’s head of innovation, added: ‘We have the right team of people to provide solid innovation advice, deconstructing the process into simple-to-apply tips.

‘We offer year-round opportunities for funding and hope that our initiative will get more businesses interested and eager to make positive changes.

‘We know that time can be a key challenge for companies exploring innovation, with concerns about the effort involved proving worthwhile. Our HIE time to innovate #HIEtime campaign aims to address these concerns.

‘International best practice indicates that all businesses can benefit from innovation support, regardless of their size, sector or location.

‘Being innovative can ultimately make your business more profitable so it makes sense for companies to integrate this into their workings.’