Innovation Exchange recently brought together third sector innovators, social investors and commissioners of public services at two Festivals of Ideas. Through this site, you can see the various resources that were published and generated at both the independent living event and the excluded young people events.
The purpose of these Festivals of Ideas was to surface opportunities for innovation, help people to connect around them and then to support them to plan next steps in collaborating to make the most of them. Judging from the feedback, the events were pretty successful, with participants meeting an average of four people they were interested in working with in the future and 75% saying that the event generated tangible next steps for developing third sector innovation.
We are now working to support participants to act on the advice they received at these events and to follow-up with potential collaborators and supporters. However, crucially, these events are only part of the Innovation Exchange process. Our challenge to innovators now is to continue to develop their work and to collaborating with potential partners and supporters, including through this website. The next key milestone is 31st July, when submissions will close for applications to be part of our Next Practice Programme, which will provide in-kind support and access to a share of our £200k NESTA Innovation Exchange Fund.
Click here for more information about the Innovation Exchange Next Practice programme and NESTA Innovation Exchange Fund
However, you needn’t have attended the Festivals to be part of our Next Practice Programme. Stay tuned for more information and in the meantime, develop your innovation, think about its potential to grow and spread and seek out collaborators and supporters, including through this website.
