WIREDGOV

Businesses to work together to drive up innovation investment.

A shared vision on innovation will help Scotland become be a world-leading entrepreneurial nation, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said yesterday.

Meeting for the first time the newly appointed members of the Scotland CAN DO Innovation Forum will be the leading force in creating greater levels of demand for, and investment in, business innovation for the benefit of the whole Scottish economy. 

Following the publication of the Scottish Government’s Scotland CAN DO framework, the Forum will compromise representatives from the private, public and third sectors and academia, to:

• create a shared vision for innovation across Scotland
• stimulate demand for innovation from business
• drive up levels of business innovation investment
• stimulate economically productive links between industry and academia.

Speaking ahead of the first meeting at Edinburgh University Business School, Scotland CAN DO Innovation Forum, Chair Mr Swinney said:

“Scotland CAN DO is a platform for all sectors to further sharpen our focus on creating sustainable economic growth. Our vision is to make a Scotland as a world-leading entrepreneurial and innovative nation - a CAN DO place for business.

“The Forum will play a crucial role in driving forward demand for, and investment in, business innovation ensuring that innovation can make a lasting and positive difference to the Scottish economy.

“This Government is focused on growing our economy and this new Forum will help to ensure that Scotland’s economy is one where growth is based on innovation, change and openness to new ways of doing things. The sheer diversity of innovation that already exists in Scotland is something to be commended. Scottish EDGE already stands as an exemplar of this approach and shows what can happen when public, private and third sector partners work as one for the benefit of growth orientated entrepreneurs across our country.

“The breadth of the Scotland CAN DO approach and our firm assertion that wider benefit to society, growth and innovation do go hand-in-hand.”

Notes To Editors

In accordance with Scotland’s Economic Strategy and Programme for Government, the Scotland CAN DO Innovation Forum, chaired by the Deputy First Minister, will focus on increasing the contribution that business innovation can make to the economy.

List of members

• Jamie Coleman – Codebase
• Shane Corstorphine – Skyscanner
• James Dunbar – New Start Highland
• Richard Erskine – Statoil Technology Invest
• Prof. Patricia Findlay – University of Strathclyde
• Prof. Anne Glover - Aberdeen University
• Will Hutton – Big Innovation Centre
• Chris van der Kuyl – Entrepreneurial Scotland
• Geoff Mulgan – Nesta
• Prof. Irene McAra McWilliam – Glasgow School of Art
• Derek Norwood – Devro plc
• Dr. Deborah O’Neil – Novabiotics Ltd
• Erin Platts – Silicon Valley Bank UK
• Ken Scott – Alexander Dennis Ltd
• Dr. Tracy Shimmield – SRSL
• John Waddell – Archangel
• Kevin Baughan – Innovate UK
• Melfort Campbell – Innovation Scotland Forum
• Donna Chisholm – Highlands and Islands Enterprise
• Cathie Cowan – Health Innovation Partnership Board
• Paul Hagan – Scottish Funding Council
• Jim Watson – Scottish Enterprise