The spirit of innovation

Innovation is the lifeblood of successful business. In a fast-paced world, the best companies are those that can think ahead to tomorrow without losing sight of today.

The South West of England has always inspired visionary thinking on a grand scale. For our ancestors, it was Stonehenge that expressed their vision of the world. In the modern world, it is entrepreneurs like Tim Smit, creator of the Eden Project, James Dyson, inventor of the dual cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner and Joe McGeehan, pioneer of wireless communication, who attract global admiration and change lives.

Whether it is the spectacular scenery that inspires, the 700 miles of coastline or the amazing quality of life, the South West continues to engender blue sky thinking and world class innovation.

FACT: A study by the European Commission ranked the UK as one of the top two locations in Europe in which to locate R&D projects. (Source: European Commission 2006) In 2008, South West businesses spent £1.37 billion on R&D. Around 10% of all employees working in R&D are based here. (Source: Office of National Statistics, Research and Development in UK Business)

FACT: The South West has twice the UK average level of Government expenditure on R&D thanks to its world renowned public sector research establishments and private research facilities. 
 
FACT: The South West has nine universities, 40 Further Education Colleges and 14 Higher Education Institutes. A high proportion of research done by these institutions is rated as world-leading (4*) and internationally excellent (3*) according to the latest Research Assessment Exercise.

For more information about investing in the South West of England, contact Head of Inward Investment Ellen Stallins