A new University of Bolton facility for businesses as well as students, The Innovation Factory, will be officially opened on Thursday 10 July 2008.
Opening the £1.6million Innovation Factory will be Imran Hakim, creator of the the iTeddy, a best-selling Christmas toy for Argos last year and a winner of the BBC's Dragon's Den programme.
The Innovation Factory will be home to several academic subject areas, including fine art and special effects as well as new engineering and textile laboratories. But it also houses the Innovation Zone which offers consultancy services to companies looking to get design ideas working, using the University's know-how and practical facilities.
As well as having the knowledge of academics and the input of student creativity, companies seeking consultancy services will be able to convert concept ideas to working prototypes for testing.
The Innovation Factory concept, which is partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), builds on the successful, adjoining Design Studio, which opened in 2005 offering design solutions to North West Companies.
Students from the University of Bolton worked on the design of the iTeddy and are now working on development ideas for the brand.
Said Dr Peter Marsh, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Bolton: 'The Innovation Factory is a great stride forward in developing our professional services to the business community. Building on the successful Design Studio it will also provide excellent experience of working on real design briefs for our students, experience which will be invaluable to them when they graduate.'
The subject areas and facilities centred in the Innovation Factory are: ceramics, fine art, metalwork, special effects and woodwork as well as engineering, textiles and composite laboratories, the special effects studios.
The practical facilities are joined by the Innovation Zone which helps co-ordinate the development of new ideas and concepts for the business community.
(ends)
Note to Editors and Picturedesks
Event Itinerary:
4.30– Reception and registration
5pm – welcome by Dr Peter Marsh
5.10 – Imran Hakim gives a presentation on his Entrepreneurial Journey
5.50 – Official opening with ribbon-cutting
6pm – Refreshments and opportunity to view facilities
Photographers and journalists wishing to attend should contact: Deana Morris, Media and Internal Communications
E: d.morris@bolton.ac.uk|