Game-changing is all in the mindset

“Change the way you think, make a difference and never take innovation for granted.”

That was the resounding message from NEF: The Innovation Institute’s Conference Innovisions 2013, held last week in London in association with utility giant EDF’s Energy Campus initiative.

Over 200 business and education leaders enjoyed an exciting mix of keynote speeches and interactive inquiry panel sessions that examined what ‘game-changing’ really means in innovation terms.

Innovation was also celebrated through NEF’s Innovation Awards, presented by BBC presenter and TeenTech chief executive Dr Maggie Philbin, acknowledging people and organisations in business and industry, education and public sector who have achieved great innovation results.

Whether you are a company, educational provider or a public sector organisation, the common thread in all is the need to move forward – standing still is not an option. The race to innovate, the search for talent, and the quest for new markets defines today’s global business environment. Innovation is the key differentiator to stay competitive.

A fundamental theme that came through from all the speakers during the event is the need to respect and value the contribution of others in the organisation. Innovation is not about R&D – that’s only a function – it’s about people, listening, tapping into and working with the stakeholders in your innovation eco-system. Thus building enough connectivity, opportunity and traction to secure a sustainable innovation pipeline.

Innovation in the public sector is crucial to ensure performance remains high while savings are made.

The key to moving forward with innovation is changing mindset. At Innovisions, participants were given enough impetus to set their minds in motion.

Professor Sa’ad Medhat is chief executive of NEF: The Innovation Institute, the professional body and provider of SciTech innovation and growth services to business, education and government