Client: East Midlands Development Agency

Project: iFestival: Project Management & Delivery

Summary

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) through East Midlands Innovation (the Regional Science and Industry Council) required a trusted partner to build, manage and deliver their new innovation Festival (iFestival) concept.  Through emda’s standard procurement process By Design secured a three year contract to run the UK’s largest celebration of innovation.

Objective

The iFestival is an annual programme delivered by a consortium of event organisers of inspirational events that are inclusive to all and designed to foster a culture of innovation across the East Midlands.  The iFestival was created to promote the innovation objectives of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) developed by emda and the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) developed by East Midlands Innovation.  The objectives of the iFestival are to:

• Raise the profile of and celebrate innovation in the region.
• De-mystify innovation and enthuse businesses to do it.
• Connect businesses to universities and research organisations.
• Increase the number of businesses engaging with innovation support.
• Highlight the exciting careers and opportunities innovation creates in the East Midlands.
• Help build a culture of innovation in the region.

This complex piece of work requires partnership working and high level advocacy across many of the East Midlands' leading companies and academic institutions.

Solution

Working with the East Midlands’ universities, major corporates, other public and private sector companies and organisations to pull together the iFestival events programme.  The contract includes offering a comprehensive PR and communication function, the development of the iFestival brand and the successful design and management of the iFestival’s own series of events.

The 2008 iFestival saw 158 events (involving over 100 partner organisations) host over 40,000 attendees over 43 days and was headlined by the highly talented Simon Woodroffe OBE at the closing Gala Dinner.  The creator of YO! Sushi and former Entrepreneur of the Year inspired a 170 strong audience at Leicester City Football Club with his passion, wit and wisdom, demonstrating how his innovative approach to business has truly made him stand out from the crowd.  Also at the dinner were keynote speakers Jeff Moore, Chief Executive of emda and John Hill, Group Chief Executive of Pera (Dinner Sponsors), who both highlighted the role of innovation in business success and the need for innovation to become more widely recognised.

The 2008 event also saw the debut of the iCube, an innovative film pod designed to gain people's views and opinions, which wowed audiences at shopping centres in Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Northampton and Lincoln, together with innovative events across the region, over the six week iFestival period.

Results

Following the successful delivery of each of the 2007-2009 iFestivals, the 2010 event was bigger and better than ever.  Running from 12th March to the 23rd April the iFestival included a beefed up PR function, an exciting Innovation EXPO at the beginning of the Festival (with £10,000 of innovation support services up for grabs!), a bigger ‘core’ events programme running throughout the six week period and the return of the celebratory Gala Dinner at the end of the Festival period.

David Wallace, Director of Innovation for emda commented, “The 2008 iFestival [saw] a great celebration of innovation in action and it has also highlighted the need for people in business, education and other organisations to think and work innovatively in order to develop and implement new ideas.  I hope that the impact of the iFestival will spark new initiatives and collaborations and be the springboard for a sustained approach to innovation across the region.”

For further information on the iFestival check out the East Midlands Innovation web portal at www.eminnovation.org.uk and if you’d like to be kept up to date with all the latest iFestival developments just e-mail us at ifestival@bydesign-group.co.uk.