The product life cycle decreases due to globalization, digitization and mass customization which requires a high degree of ongoing flexible product adaption and innovation to support an ever-changing demand from the market. The current trends within product development move in the direction of network-based development where companies innovate products together with their customers and suppliers to move fast forward and reduce the development cycles.

Participants will be presented with the UK national and regional initiatives supporting small and medium enterprises (SME), including e-commerce, to innovate. it will include an overview by Coventry City Council on current facts about the Coventry & Warwickshire situations. The second speaker will present currently delivered support aimed at enterprises that wants to innovate and integrate new processes to their daily operation. Finally, a national UK perspective will be presented of the UK Innovate Scale up programme followed by case studies from Coventry University innovative spin off companies.

A disruptive innovation session utilising LEGO methodologies will be offered to participants. This disruptive workshop aims at looking at ways to engage with stakeholders who are aware of current challenges that enterprises are faced with. What better options can be offered and how could regions better support their enterprises?