Blueprint Awards
2nd Nov 2010
A flavoured tea found in Waitrose; a loyalty card for charities; a software developer specialising in Google’s Android smartphone platform – all these (and more besides) were coached, mentored and advised by BHP’s Innovation Team and all were winners at this year’s Blueprint competition.
Blueprint is a business plan contest, open to all businesses supported by the region’s universities.
Originally intended for graduates, now in its seventh year the competition extends to academics and students at a number of the region’s further education colleges also.
It is a celebration of the power of innovation among our next generation of business leaders.
The recent final was, as always, the highlight of my working year.
By common consent, the previous event, whilst still the most energetic awards ceremony of the year by some distance, was a bit flat compared with past years as the effects of the credit crunch limited the financial input offered by local professional services firms.This was reflected in a reduction in the prizes and economies in the ceremony itself.
Like last year, the fabulous table decorations were missing. Unlike last year, also missing was One North East’s brand identity, which, for the previous six years, had watched over the event like a protective grandfather.
Agnostic as I may be over the achievements of the Regional Development Agency, I strongly support Blueprint’s showcase for graduate entrepreneurs. It is certainly true to say that Blueprint wouldn’t exist in its current form were it not for the support of our friends at Stella House.
Professor Brian Tanner referenced this, mentioning that the RDA had felt it inappropriate for its logo to be displayed.
There was some poignancy to this comment, but also perhaps a recognition finally that the ubiquity of the One North East brand over the last decade has been more a symbol of political intent than economic necessity; a need to label its many achievements so that those benefiting could be grateful.
Whatever the situation is, the year to come heralds great change.
Cuts in teaching funds threaten the added value offered by the presence of enterprise in the curriculum of the region’s universities, not to mention many of the wonderful support programmes offered to all graduates and academics.
More directly, as its traditional sponsorship base continues to struggle and the foundation on which it is based disbands, Blueprint must and will find a new way to convince those controlling the region’s purse strings of its relevance.
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