Solent region businesses are invited to enter the Collaborate2Innovate 2010 Panel Challenge
11 August 2010
Collaborate2Innovate, a free event dedicated to building profitable partnerships between organisations in the Solent region, is today inviting local, innovative businesses to enter the Business Panel Challenge competition, for the opportunity to pitch to a panel and audience of investors and senior business leaders at the conference and exhibition on 2nd November 2010, Building 1000, Lakeside North Harbour, Portsmouth.
The Business Panel Challenge is the ideal forum for innovative entrepreneurs, early stage or high growth potential companies in the Solent region to seek advice, connections and funding, in order to move their organisations forward. Businesses entering the Business Panel Challenge will receive free access to financial and legal experts ahead of Collaborate2Innovate 2010, as well as free intensive support to get the business pitch-ready.
Nigel Vaughan CEO of Solent Synergy, leader of the Collaborate2Innovate 2010 steering committee, says: “The Business Panel Challenge is a fresh forum to give support to innovative entrepreneurs and businesses in our region, highlighting what Collaborate2Innovate is all about – discovering exciting new business opportunities and finding innovative ways to keep Solent businesses growing in the recovering economy.”
Innovative Solent businesses can enter the Business Panel Challenge by providing details of their business in less than 300 words and explaining what type of support they need to make their business even more successful. The top 15 entries selected will take part in a pre-pitch session on Wednesday 15th September at Southampton Science Park. They will then be shortlisted down to the final eight, which will pitch to potential investors at Collaborate2Innovate 2010.
Collaborate2Innovate 2010 is open to businesses, entrepreneurs and technology specialists. The conference and exhibition provides visitors with the opportunity to discover new business prospects through collaborative innovation, and support those business partnerships to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Stuart Lisle (pictured), tax partner at BDO LLP, a Collaborate2Innovate 2010 Gold sponsor, comments on the importance of business collaboration. "We continue to experience a very fragile UK economy where we are seeing signs that the future is going to look very different and companies are going to experience changes in the coming years. More than ever companies need to be nimble footed and ready to react to a changing world. Through open dialogue, innovation and collaboration they will have the tools to ensure they stay ahead of the changing market. We continue to support Collaborate2Innovate as we believe it is a very effective forum for forging the links that businesses will find useful in the uncertain times ahead."
The Collaborate2Innovate 2010 steering committee is led by Solent Synergy Limited, the not-for-profit organisation that helps innovative businesses grow and succeed in the Solent region. Solent Synergy is joined by founding sponsors BDO LLP and Paris Smith LLP, plus Genetix plc, ML Electronics, D Young & Co, Blake Lapthorn, Grant Thornton, the Solent’s four universities (Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Solent and Southampton), South East Design, The Solent Innovation & Growth Team, the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, RSM Tenon, and Xyratex.
Entries for the Business Panel Challenge at Collaborate2Innovate 2010 are now open to all innovative businesses in the Solent region. To find out more, or for details on how to enter, click here.
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