This interactive workshop will give businesses an overview of the advice, support and funding available around innovation that is relevant to their food and drink sector. If you are looking to innovate within your business, develop a new innovative piece of equipment or technology or collaborate with an academic institution/partner then this is the workshop for you.

The workshop will include presentation from the following organisation who can provide support to help you on your innovation journey.

• Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE)

• Interface

• Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)

• Innovate UK/Knowledge Transfer Network

• CENSIS

• National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS)

The workshop will also include an interactive session led by CENSIS which will provide a global perspective on current challenges and technology trends in the food and drink industry, discuss the current challenges and unmet needs F&D businesses face in the highlands and develop a roadmap outlining what businesses would like to see in the physical Food and Drink TechHUB Innovation centre.

Agenda includes:

09.30 Registration and coffee

10.00 Welcome and Introduction to TechHUB – Alistair Trail, SAC Consulting

10.10 Overview of innovation support from a variety of support agencies

• John Mackenzie, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)

• Carol-Ann Adams, Interface

• Laura Dee, Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)

• Debbie Tully, Innovate UK/KTN

• Ally Longmuir, CENSIS

• Alan Whiteside, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS)

11.10 – Break

11.15 Interactive session led by CENSIS on current challenges and needs F&D businesses face with regards to technology and innovation leading to the development of a roadmap of potential solutions that can be supported by the TechHUB

12.15 Summary + Close

12.20 Lunch

The Food and Drink TechHUB is a Northern Innovation Hub programme funded through the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal – a joint initiative supported by £315m investment from the UK and Scottish governments, The Highland Council, HIE and University of the Highlands and Islands.