“Without the SMEs engaging in developing innovation, we feel that innovation would not be able to develop. The majority of innovation around the world is by SMEs.“
First of all, we would like to thank Mr. Jonathan Slater, Managing Director of Blue Globe Innovation Consultants, for agreeing to respond to our questions.
1) Let us start from a brief introduction of Blue Globe Innovation Consultants and your role with the company?
The Blue Globe is a boutique innovation consultancy specialising in Grand Challenges, Recognition and Inducement Prizes and awards, SME support, developing Fostering Innovation programmes . We work with partners across the globe and with commercial corporations, government offices, academics and international development agencies. We engage with whole communities exploring ideas and creating platforms for innovative solutions to bring about wide-scale change. I setup Blue Globe Innovation five years ago to show that custom innovation support programmes can make a real difference around the world.
2) How important is innovation for your company? Please provide an example of innovation activity, service or product launched by your company?
Innovation is the key structure the company has been built on and has evolved using innovation over the last 5 years. Blue Globe Innovation has designed and supported the management of the Ideas to Impact UK Government, innovation prize programme over the last few years. Running prizes in Kenya, Ghana, Nepal and other African countries proving that innovation inducement prizes can work in the development space. Managing the risk profiles for both client and participants to allow for innovation to show through.
3) Your company’s profile states support for SMEs among the areas of specialization. How important is the segment of SMEs for your business?
Without the SMEs engaging in developing innovation, we feel that innovation would not be able to develop. The majority of innovation around the world is by SMEs. SMEs do need support to drive innovation and through the use of innovation prizes and support programmes they are the ones that can deliver innovation to the heart of any programme.
4) In your opinion, what is the post-Brexit outlook for entrepreneurs in UK?
If you had asked us last year we would have said that innovation would stall because of Brexit but our feeling is that where there is hardship or complications SMEs innovate around the obstacles to drive their business or process.
5) Innovation has been recognized as the key enabler of every company’s competitiveness. What would be your advice for entrepreneurs on how to enable and sustain corporate innovation?
Our advice for entrepreneurs is not just to say you are embracing innovation but embed innovation at the core of your organisation, and continually ask the question are we being innovative with our product or service. Innovation process like open innovation need to be used by all parts of the organisation not just by one part.
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Managing Director
