Opportunities for Innovators

The New England North West NSW Business Chamber's Digital Business and Development Executive Officer, Derek Tink with RDANI Snr Project Officer, Kim-Trieste Hastings in Tamworth, where the Northern Inland Innovation Awards will be held this year.

Businesses invited to enter Innovation Awards, attend 'New IQ' Workshops

Businesses, public and not-for-profit organisations are being urged to start preparing their entries for the 6th annual Regional Development Australia Northern Inland Innovation Awards. Nominations close on Monday 2, September. As part of the lead-up, a series of innovation workshops will help the region’s businesses to brainstorm ideas.

The Innovation Awards are an initiative of Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI). The aim is to recognise and showcase the region's innovations and innovative approaches. According to RDANI Executive Officer, Nathan Axelsson, the awards also address the additional need for regional businesses to be innovative towards improving their competitive edge. “If you innovate, think outside the square, explore new directions or approaches, then RDANI wants to hear your story. We want to recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of local organisations or businesses and what sets them apart," he said. "Entering these awards not only puts your operation up for recognition at a regional level, it also helps to inspire others.”

RDANI has teamed up with the New England North West NSW Business Chamber's Digital Business and Development Executive Officer, Derek Tink, to deliver 'New IQ' Workshops. "'New IQ' is about idea generation and implementation. We're really interested in new ideas that businesses have across the New England North West and taking those ideas to beneficial, practical applications. We hope to see representatives from all industries, the rapid changes occurring connected to the emerging digital economy means particular challenges for retail," he said.

'New IQ' workshops will commence in Inverell on Monday 8, April at the Inverell RSM Club from 7am-11am, with an evening session from 5:30pm-7:30pm. The next workshop will be in Armidale on Tuesday 9, April, from 7am-11am at the Armidale City Bowling Club. We'll roll the workshops out across the rest of the region in mid-May. Now is the time to think about how your business is innovative or how it can be, particularly through the National Broadband Network (NBN). The digital economy can mean local business expansion goals can really be global."

Greg Alder will be presenting at these workshops and will be the guest speaker for this year's Northern Inland Innovation Awards. Mr Alder is an internationally renowned leader in his field. He has over 40 years of experience with coaching businesses in branding, business success, innovation and career development.

"A lot of people these days are so busy working in their business, they don't have time to work on their business. New possibilities, inventions and innovation need to be explored, adopted and promoted - that is what these New IQ Workshops and the Northern Inland Innovation Awards are about."

Anyone interested in attending the free New IQ Workshops should contact Derek Tink at the NSW Business Chamber on 0408 990 141.

RDANI Senior Project Officer, Kim-Trieste Hastings described the new collaboration as a great step forward. "We have linked in with local business awards around the region. Finalists in an Innovation category in local awards will be entered in the prestigious regional awards."

The Northern Inland Innovation Award Categories are: Agriculture / Horticulture and associated services; Tourism / Leisure and Services; Professional and Retail services; Manufacturing and Engineering; and Research and Education. The RDANI Innovation Awards Committee will select finalists for each category, who will be invited to attend the gala awards night, with the general public also encouraged to attend. The 2013 Innovation of the Year Award will be presented to the leading innovator across all categories. The gala presentation evening will take place at West Tamworth Leagues Club on Friday, 8 November.

“RDANI would like to see businesses across the Northern Inland NSW region benefit from the New IQ workshops and enter the 2013 Northern Inland Innovation Awards,” Ms Hastings said.