derby.ac.uk
An Aspirational UK university:
Driving SME business transformation
through enterprise and innovation
Professor Margaret Bruce BSC (Hons), MSc, PhD, FCIM, FRSA
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
University of Derby, UK
derby.ac.uk
A Midlands Enterprise University – driving Innovation
7 Universities working together to promote growth and productivity across
Midlands region in UK
Together we:
• Educate over 146,800 students
• Employ more than 17,000 people, create 33,000 jobs in the Midlands
• Have a turnover of £1.3 billion
• Produce entrepreneurial and job-ready graduates with 95% employed six
months after graduation
• Invest in new facilities for students and business, with over £400 million
committed to new developments in 2016/17 alone
derby.ac.uk
derby.ac.uk
Innovation and Enterprise Mission:
• Support economic growth
• Create graduate employment and skills
• Improve retention of graduates in region
• Create highly skilled academic capability
• Develop entrepreneurship and employability of students
• Create business growth through new value added services
derby.ac.uk
How?
• Workforce development and training
(Degree Apprenticeships)
• Focus on sector skills e.g. transport, low
carbon, logistics, advanced manufacturing
• Venture Fund with over £17m (€18.8m) to
stimulate innovation and to create 1330
jobs
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
• Innovation Centres and Science Park
• Consultancy and advise to over 4000
SMEs
• Access to funded resource and facilities
derby.ac.uk
Benefits
ExplorationAssessmentIdeasConcepts
DevelopmentPrinciplesPrototypesPropositions
CommercialisationStart-upScale-up
Standardisation
The Result
Value
Creation
derby.ac.uk
Agile - Innovation and Enterprise Gateway
derby.ac.uk
Icon Polymer Group
Icon Polymer produces highly-engineered polymer-
based solutions used in sealing, containment,
propulsion and protection systems.
Collaboration enables the company to make use of
academic experts with knowledge in cutting edge
technology.
“I would certainly recommend the University to anyone
interested in developing innovation within their
business.”
Benefits:
• significantly improved Icon's commercial
performance, market position and profitability and
• embed 3D printing technology to further develop its
products and processes.
derby.ac.uk
Enterprising University
derby.ac.uk
Unlock potential
• Agile and focus
• Horizon scan to be future proof
• High Value Capability
• Collaboration to realise full asset value
• Multi-faceted to deliver premium education and skills
• Recognise the Value Mission to give Impact to stakeholders
