Initiatives

ICT Innovation Clubs

2009-01-15T11:54:21Z

A new concept launched by the West Midlands’ Universities which aim to strengthen innovation linkages within the IT Sector through focused, high-value networks.

The ICT Innovation Clubs are an initiative of the ICT Cluster. Launched by all the West Midlands’ Universities with the aim to strengthen innovation linkages within the IT Sector through focused, high-value networks. These Innovation Clubs help small companies develop knowledge of their local Universities as sources of innovation support, specialist facilities and expertise. The ICT Innovation Clubs also give companies access to the support facilities available around the region.

There are 8 different ICT Innovation Clubs across the region helping companies to become better connected with business users of technologies, who are increasingly being recognised as drivers of successful innovation.

The ICT Innovation Clubs bring together ICT companies, business users and expertise from Universities around a common agenda. The focus being how ICT can contribute to solving the business issues and how that development can be supported and augmented by University experts. The ICT Innovation Clubs also help give companies access to and understanding of research with commercial application within the Universities.

Medical Technologies ICT Innovation Club
The medical technologies innovation club will focus on ICT within medical research and clinical applications.

Creative Design and Data Mining ICT Innovation Club
Through a series of workshops, this ICT Innovation club based at University of Birmingham, will explore the use of Intelligent ICT solutions for some of the West Midlands key industrial sectors: transport and logistics, creative industry and games, manufacturing and engineering, and forensics and security

Wireless Technologies ICT Innovation Club
Club Wireless is a network for West Midlands ICT SMEs and organizations interested in creating products or services surrounding Wireless technologies.

Integrated Information Systems ICT Innovation Club
Integration and organisations information across systems, is often difficult due to software incompatibility; variable formats, language differences and rules about access.

Conectivity for Business
The Connectivity for business ICT Innovation Club demonstrates the power of computer networks and interconnectivity to help businesses grow and become more profitable.

Open Source Technologies ICT Innovation Club
Programs and events aimed at developing the knowledge base within the user community in regards to the use of open source technology.

eBusiness ICT Innovation Club
The Club’s focus is on the business issues of marketing, knowledge management and business strategy, together with the associated e-business disciplines of e-marketing, e-commerce, collaborative working and e-marketplaces.

Creative Industries ICT Innovation Club
Creative Industries ICT Innovation Club

Open Advantage

2009-01-15T11:35:50Z

History has proved how the West Midlands has provided a hub of innovation and forward-thinking. This trend continues with the establishment of the only independently funded vendor-neutral IT solutions centre based in the UK specialising in Open Source software. The EU is adopting a positive stance in the use of Open Source and the West Midlands is taking the lead for the UK.

The aim of OpenAdvantage is to objectively advise, educate and assist small and medium businesses realise the business benefits of Open Source software.

A dedicated team of Open Source experts can assist clients in using IT systems that operate at the lowest cost and highest performance whilst gaining the most effective Open Source solutions for: web application developments, database developments, CRM systems, document management, digital archiving, online learning and training, systems integration and internet telephony.

With funding from the regional development agency, Advantage West Midlands, everything on offer at OpenAdvantage is free of charge.

ICT Cluster Projects

2009-01-15T11:20:40Z

The ICT Cluster Opportunity Group has promoted several projects to support the ICT industry within the West Midlands. Below are listed the currently funded projects.

Accredit UK
Accredit UK - Promoting trust in IT suppliers to potential IT purchasers by affirming that they meet a stringent set of criteria.

Cercia
Cercia - Evolving Innovative Ideas for Regeneration

iCentrum - Facilitating Knowledge in ICT
iCentrum - Facilitating Knowledge in ICT

West Mildands ICT Hub
The West Midlands ICT Hub - Assisting in the growth of the regions Informaion Communication and Technology industry.

IT Futures - An interface between research and commerce
IT Futures - An interface between research and commerce

Open Advantage
Open Advantage provides a Centre of Excellence in open source software. Offering a complete range of services; from an introduction to open source software to, helping clients develop their own bespoke and niche solutions.

Photonics Cluster
Photonics Cluster (UK) is the fastest growing business network dedicated to supporting the photonics industry in the UK.

UK IT Association (UKita)
The West Midlands IT Association (WMita) has been established as the private sector organisation responsible for the development of a credible and thriving IT industry within the West Midlands.

West Midlands Mobile & Wireless (WMMW)
Mobile and wireless technologies play a key role in improving business performance and profitability. WMMW provides an opportunity for West Midlands companies to be at the forefront of the developments in this new generation of technology.

West Midlands ICT Hub

2009-01-08T11:50:40Z

A funded project whose aim is to create and grow West Midlands businesses by linking businesses, projects and academia. A reference point for businesses on Information, Communications and Technology.

The West Midlands ICT Hub is a sponsored project specialising in helping ICT (Information, Communication, Technology) companies discover the business resources available within the West Midlands.

This quickly enables the companies to make effective contact with sources of finance, Universities, specific businesses, support organisations and Government projects.

Located at Aston Science Park in the heart of the region, the West Midlands ICT Hub prides itself in providing impartial direction to appropriate connections for your business. With strong connections throughout the region the West Midlands ICT Hub thrives on establishing beneficial connections for businesses.

Do speak with the West Midlands ICT Hub to discover how to make contact with potential customers, suppliers or affiliates.

Contact Us

Hugo Russell

West Midlands ICT Hub Project Manager

Tel: 0121 260 6400

Email: [email protected]">[email protected]

West Midlands Mobile & Wireless (WMMW)

2009-01-08T11:47:21Z

WMMW embraces the mobile and wireless revolution through creating a regional centre of excellence and ICT sub-cluster in this rapidly developing area of technology and systems. The project provides support for innovation, new product development and adoption to companies wishing to take the next steps into this high-growth technology area.
The project, delivered by five of the regional universities (Staffordshire, Coventry, UCE, Warwick and Wolverhampton) aims to deliver a range of services and facilities to businesses across the West Midlands. These include access to mobile and wireless equipment, knowledge and expertise and access to demonstrator environments. The four year project aims to position the region as a national leader in what is seen as the next generation of computing technology.

Contact Us

[email protected]">[email protected]
Room K102
The Octagon, Beaconside
Stafford
ST16 0AD
T: 01785 353258 / Fax: 01785 353497

www.wmmw.org

United Kingdom IT Association (UKITA)

2009-01-07T12:21:59Z

The West Midlands IT Association (WMita) is a membership organisation representing small and medium-sized businesses in the ICT sector. Our mission is to support the development and growth of SME IT businesses in the West Midlands as part of the region’s ICT Cluster. We provide a voice for the ICT industry in the region and aim to help our members become more successful.

WMita is funded under a three-year contract with Advantage West Midlands, the regional development agency, to provide a support programme for ICT companies covering networking, training, events and other activities to promote the industry to local, regional and national clients. In particular, we have prioritised actions in relation to quality and supplier accreditation as a means of improving the credibility and transparency of ICT suppliers. We are also recognised as a delivery channel for major public and private sector IT initiatives. AWM funding is being provided on a “pump-priming basis”, with a requirement for WMita to be self-funding by the end of 2005.

WMita is comprised of six local branches and supported by a head office organisation based at Blythe Valley Business Park, Solihull. It has been established as a Company Limited by Guarantee and is run by a Board of Directors drawn from the paid-up members.

Target Market, Value Proposition & Member Benefits

WMita’s target market is small and medium-sized businesses involved in information and communications technology (ICT) within the West Midlands region. The value proposition for members is defined by three elements:

1. Opportunities for Business Growth, through:

structured networking with potential customers and partners;
promoting members’ products, systems and services;
developing new business relationships and partnerships;
developing more sophisticated market offerings.

2. Opportunities for Business Improvement, through:

access to market research and intelligence;
access to specialist professional skills, expertise and services;
access to education and training opportunities.

3. Opportunities to Influence, through:

being part of a community of interest at the forefront of good ICT practice;
ensuring that business agencies address the needs of ICT suppliers;
lobbying decision-makers in regional business organisations & public agencies.

Member benefits include: the WMita Quality Mark, local and regional networking events, training courses and seminars, marketing activities, member-to-member collaboration, market research and intelligence, and access to WMita’s public and private partners for business, funding and
training opportunities.

Our Values

WMita has many facets. It is a membership association drawing together many different types of companies and businesses. It is a private sector organisation operating largely in a public sector environment. And it has a strong commercial edge, dealing not just in information and knowledge but in opportunities with real business and financial value.

The WMita Board is committed to core business values that ensure we act fairly and equitably to all our stakeholders. These values are:

Independence: Acting on behalf for our members as a whole,independent of individual commercial interests.
Transparency: Following the highest standards of openness and transparency in our actions, subject to the protection of the Company’s own commercial interests.
Excellence: Attaining the highest professional standards both in WMita’s own actions and those of its members.
Inclusivity: Engaging with all areas of the region and society, including full geographical coverage and the increased participation of women and ethnic minorities in ICT markets.
Partnership: A strong commitment to partnership working and, with a private sector ethos, to work with the public sector as a delivery agent for ICT-related business support programmes.

Contact Us

[email protected]">[email protected]
Blythe Valley Innovation Centre
Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Park
Solihull
B90 8AJ
T: 0121 506 9320 / Fax: 0121 506 9322

http://www.wmita.co.uk

Photonics Cluster

2009-01-07T12:19:04Z

Photonics Cluster (UK) has a strong industry focussed membership with connections into the UK universities and research technological organisations to create the ideal basis for technology transfer across the whole of the UK in Optoelectronics. Photonics Cluster (UK) undertakes an intensive event driven activity programme in addition to technology focussed networking meetings. The end user events are undertaken in partnership with the appropriate networking group to maximise their effectiveness. The Photonics Cluster (UK) works with the existing optoelectronics networking groups in Scotland and Wales in the delivery of a UK based Knowledge Transfer Network as well creating a bridgehead to networks in Europe, Asia and North America.

Objectives include:

Establishing a strong influential representative group for the UK optoelectronics industry
Establishing a forum which will catalyse relationships with industry sectors to create and exploit opportunities for optoelectronics adoptions
Profiling the optoelectronics industry in UK highlighting strengths and weaknesses
Supporting the Photonic Application Centre concept first pioneered in the West Midlands by Advantage West Midlands and now being explored regionally
Creating an information hub and opportunities group for UK optoelectronics
Establishing a UK body with an international and global interface

Contact us

[email protected]">[email protected]
Faraday Wharf, Holt Street
Aston Science Park
Birmingham
B7 4BB
T: 0121 260 6020 / Fax: 0121 260 6450

http://www.photonicscluster-uk.org/

IT Futures

2009-01-07T12:14:42Z

IT Complex

Brand new state of the art building specially designed to attract SMEs to use to investigate business applications of the latest ICT technologies, under the guidance of a team of highly qualified professionals.

Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is in the heart of the West Midlands ‘Black Country’, and as such has excellent transport links to many West Midlands organizations. IT Futures have also assisted several ‘high tech’ companies in the Welsh/Shropshire Marches which is part of the rural regeneration area. S-Nav is one such company which specializes in Satellite navigation software.

Equipment for loan
As well as investigating hardware/software within the IT Futures Centre, SMEs can loan this equipment for evaluation assisted by ITFC Consultants at their own premises over a longer period of time at no charge. A typical example would be Bronx Engineering. After a superficial investigation of SolidWorks and Inventor (both 3D CAD packages) Bronx have loaned both packages for a period of 3/6 months for further evaluation. They have produced appropriate drawings and animations for their customers and have been able to make a direct comparison between them. They can then justify the purchase of the most appropriate package to their financial director.

Research
In the IT Futures building academic research in the field of IT and Engineering is being carried out that is directly applicable to SMEs, with the IT Futures consultancy staff acting as an ‘interface’ between academics and companies. Opportunities for further development can be explored in a stimulating environment.

The first major area of research is:

Payment kiosks (for multiple payments by cards/cash), together with:

Smart card technology
Chip and pin technology

IT Futures are working closely with several companies on this research, not as is usual in academic isolation. One such company is KPR Midlink Ltd. They have developed a payment kiosk for use by local authorities, higher education etc for the payment of such items as Council Tax/rents and for providing ‘on line’ information. Chip and pin facilities are required by their customers, but although the technology has been developed up to a point there are still areas where further investigation and development are necessary for the payment kiosk to be fully chip and pin enabled. IT Futures are researching the fine details of this process and assisting KPR in selecting appropriate hardware from a myriad of potential OEM suppliers.

In parallel, IT Futures is collaborating with KPR and Bradford University on the use of smart cards within universities and the charging of smart cards using unattended payment kiosks.

RFID

The second major area of research is RFID (radio frequency identification). RFID is about to enter many business arenas and is the next technological stage from bar codes.

The hype is that bread makers and microwaves will be able to read recipes, and washing machines will be able to work out what is inside them and set themselves to the correct programme. If a product has an RFID ‘tag’, machines in the kitchen can be programmed to read its code as soon as it is brought into the home. The tag emits a radio signal up to a 15 ft range. Washing machines can be made to read ‘tags’ on clothing labels and then set themselves to the right programme.

IT Futures is acting as the interface to enable SMEs to apply RFID in their business areas. They will provide practical support with the inevitable technical hitches that occur in a new scenario such as this. They are linking this research with their research into smart cards and liaising with researchers in both fields.

Visitor Analysis
The third major area of research is visitor analysis for museums, etc. Often, museums are ‘manned’ by volunteer staff or staff inexperienced with technology.

IT Futures have already developed an intelligent ‘touch screen’ technology that allows museums and similar organizations to quickly and easily enter the multitudinous data required by funding agencies (e.g. how many visitors/gender/ethnicity/whether staying locally/mode of transport). This data is then analysed, producing a range of formats to be included in monitoring documents/reports.

Contact Us

University of Wolverhampton

[email protected]">[email protected]">[email protected]

Wulfruna Street
Wolverhampton
WV1 1SB
T: 01902 323396 / Fax: 01902 321477

http://www.initiativeitsolutions.co.uk

iCentrum - Facilitating Knowledge in ICT

2009-01-07T12:12:24Z

iCentrum helps SME ICT companies in the West Midlands to grow. We make personal introductions to other SMEs, large IT companies, education establishments and research institutes for the benefit of all. In fact, iCentrum is the chosen ‘filter’ for some large IT companies when they are looking for SME partners. iCentrum also supports SMEs by providing access to specially designed facilities including a Solution Development Laboratory and Demonstration Suite.

ICT companies can use iCentrum’s Solution Development Laboratory to test, break and rebuild products in a clean environment. Companies can assess the viability of products by selecting various configurations using our range of hardware platforms and software solutions helping to reduce the development times for the products and improve their profitability. Some of the equipment is available for hire.

Companies can demonstrate their products to potential clients in an exciting and professional environment that will enhance their ability to secure new business by using iCentrum’s Demonstration Suite which includes professional projection equipment, interactive whiteboard and a PA system.

Our proactive model means that having agreed a set of actions with an ICT company, we act on their behalf while they can focus on managing and growing their business.

iCentrum has made personal introductions for SMEs that have resulted in extra business, resolved product development problems and created partnerships with companies including EDS, ITNET and SCC.

Contact Us

[email protected]">[email protected]
Faraday Wharf
Aston Science Park
Birmingham
B7 4BB
T: 0121 260 6402 / Fax: 0121 260 6405

http://www.icentrum.co.uk/

Accredit UK - Assured Quality for IT

2009-01-07T12:09:44Z

Accredit UK is a quality standard developed in collaboration with the National Computing Centre, designed to mark out the top ICT suppliers in the industry. By benchmarking a company’s performance against the best-in-class, it shows to anyone purchasing ICT that a certified company can trusted.

Accredit UK-certified businesses have well-trained and motivated people, operate within clearly defined processes and have a track record of delighting their customers. Both their general business skills and segment-specific competencies are thoroughly tested to ensure their excellence.

The standard is supported by the widest range of names in the public and private sectors, such as BSI, Intellect and the National B2B Centre.

Contact Us

Accredit UK Ltd

[email protected]">[email protected]
Westwood House
Westwood Business Park
Coventry
CV4 8HS
T: 02476 496217

http://www.accredituk.com/