Sprinting to success at Northumbrian Water Group’s Innovation Festival 2024
The Innovation SuperNetwork (ISN) team was thrilled to participate in Northumbrian Water Group’s (NWG) Innovation Festival, helping bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges faced by the water industry and beyond.
Kicking off on July 8th, this year’s four-day festival was a melting pot of creativity, attracting businesses from diverse sectors to tackle issues ranging from the water industry’s operational challenges to global concerns like climate change and water poverty. With a lineup that included everything from celebrity speakers and comedy musical acts to F1 race cars, the event was a hub of inspiration and out-of-the-box thinking.
ISN played a pivotal role by leading six sprints focused on topics such as achieving Net Zero, exploring biorefinery potential, and leveraging robotics for quality improvements. Despite the rainy weather, nobody’s spirits were dampened, with participants eagerly exchanging ideas as they delved into problem-solving.
Katrina Appleyard, Innovation Manager at ISN and one of the sprint facilitators, expressed her enthusiasm for the event, saying, “It’s a fantastic way of working. Being fun and creative is key, but also being open to taking on new ways of thinking. You’re not going to be able to create change if you aren’t open to different expertise and ideas.
“That’s what the innovation festival is all about. It’s a fun four days, there’s a whole world of learning going on, and the creative space we’re in results in some very interesting solutions to complex challenges.
She added, “This is a big part of what Innovation SuperNetwork does. Using this way of working, opening up ideas and bringing in experts, as well as people from other industries or levels of an organisation to crash, clash and play with ideas to come up with better solutions that have tangible results.”
The impact of the Innovation Festival is undeniable. Over the past seven years, solutions generated by sprint participants have led to an estimated £60-£70 million in tangible change. This not only highlights the innovative capabilities of businesses in the North East but also the immense value of approaching challenges from fresh perspectives.
However, the sprint process can be intimidating, especially for those new to it. Fortunately, ISN’s expertise ensures that businesses are guided smoothly through the process.
Melissa Tallack, Founder and Director of C2Life and representative of NWG, expressed her gratitude for the support provided by ISN, saying, “The ISN team has been brilliant. Once we knew ISN was going to be our facilitator, we knew we were in safe hands and were going to not only get through the process but get the best outcome as a result of that.”
In fact, this sprint which focussed on the environmental impact of storm water management has already applied for seed funding to conduct additional testing and a pilot study. This will hopefully uncover synergies with other initiatives which opens the doors to further funding and collaboration.
The Innovation Festival continues to be a powerful catalyst for change, proving that when creativity and collaboration collide, extraordinary results follow.
Though the festival is over, innovation doesn’t end there. Many unmet needs persist, and with those comes opportunities to drive change and solve issues through other Innovation Challenge’s.
ISN is always working on innovation-led programmes that provide a gateway for the region’s SMEs to provide solutions to larger companies and society as a whole. To explore the current opportunities available to innovators or to discuss establishing your own Innovation Challenge visit here and get in touch with the team who will be happy to have a chat.