Workshops will help Barra and Harris firms innovate

FREE workshops are taking place this month in Harris and Barra with a focus on how businesses can benefit from innovation.

The Co-Innovate programme was launched last year to encourage research and innovation. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in some of the most fragile areas of western Scotland are among those which will benefit.

The first workshop will be held at Tàlla na Mara, Harris, on Tuesday March 20. Jamie McGowan, owner of Essence of Harris, will speak about how innovative ideas helped him grow his business. A second workshop will take place at Castlebay Community Hall on Thursday March 29. Jane Morrison-Ross, chief executive of Taigh Chearsabhagh, will talk about the innovative approach which has helped the arts and heritage centre to develop in North Uist. Each workshop will run from 10am till noon.

Donald Murray, Co-Innovate programme manager at HIE, said: ‘These workshops will explain how the programme can benefit businesses in the Outer Hebrides. Each company’s needs around innovation development are different. The programme supplies the tools and support to help innovate, differentiate and compete successfully. It can help businesses identify opportunities for growth and create a vision to make it happen. There will also be mentoring and consultancy as well as grants for research and innovation and for SMEs to engage an intern for cross border collaborative projects.’

Anyone interested should contact donald.murray@hient.co.uk.