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
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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.]]>
Accredit UKAccredit 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.
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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]
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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]
Room K102
The Octagon, Beaconside
Stafford
ST16 0AD
T: 01785 353258 / Fax: 01785 353497
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]
Blythe Valley Innovation Centre
Central Boulevard, Blythe Valley Park
Solihull
B90 8AJ
T: 0121 506 9320 / Fax: 0121 506 9322
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]
Faraday Wharf, Holt Street
Aston Science Park
Birmingham
B7 4BB
T: 0121 260 6020 / Fax: 0121 260 6450
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
Wulfruna Street
Wolverhampton
WV1 1SB
T: 01902 323396 / Fax: 01902 321477
http://www.initiativeitsolutions.co.uk
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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]
Faraday Wharf
Aston Science Park
Birmingham
B7 4BB
T: 0121 260 6402 / Fax: 0121 260 6405
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]
Westwood House
Westwood Business Park
Coventry
CV4 8HS
T: 02476 496217