Last Tuesday I attended the "Cracking Ideas" awards ceremony and was photographed with Wallace and Grommit (see Cracking Ideas: My Encounter with Wallace & Crommit NIPC Inventors Club 20 June 2012), The event took place at the Spaceport which describes itself as "a £10 million attraction covering the subjects of space and space travel." It is actually in the Mersey Ferry terminal at Seacombe which commands stunning views of Liverpool. I took this photo from the car park just outside the building.
Although there were regional finalists and their families from all parts of the UK as well as the Minister for IP I did not see too many IP practitioners. Kara Bearfield of Forresters was there representing ITMA as was Michael Sandys of QualitySolicitors Jackson & Canter (see "Quality IP: Michael Sandys" 1 Aug 2011) and that was it.
I shared the "Cracking Ideas" article with a number of groups on Linkedin and received some interesting feedback. Charlie Wing, Director R&D at Aesculap Implant Systems in the United States, referred me to "Odyssey of The Mind" project in the USA. Basil Philipsz who is in charge of Ideas North West wrote:
"There seems to be good work being done in separate, northern UK inventors groups but not enough coordination or critical mass for influence and impact."He and I exchanged some practical ideas how it could be achieved.
Encouraging creativity and innovation has always been a priority for FabLabs. Look what little Valentina achieved at the Takoradi FabLab in Ghana.
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