Making the Right Connections

Meet Major Players that will Really Make a Difference!

Thursday 12 November 2009, seminar : 9:30 - 13:00, brokerage: 13:00 - 16:00
Hillington Park Innovation Centre, 1 Ainslie Road, Hillington Park, Glasgow, G52 4RU

Meeting key partners that provide practical advice and information to ensure you grow your business quickly and in the right markets is difficult for any early stage SME. Therefore the Wellness and Health Innovation team have brought together some of the key players in the Wellness and Health market to meet with YOU.

Headlining this event will be Boots Centre for Innovation, set up to work closely with early stage companies or inventors to develop pioneering products for the Wellness and Health market. Boots plan to bring more ideas to market through working in partnership with external third parties and as a result are keen to meet with Scotland’s innovative wellness and health companies.

One of the companies Boots have already made connections with is PWB, a company which developed the Breast Light product in conjunction with Wide Blue in Scotland. Launched in June 2009, Breast Light is already the market leader and has developed its core market share overseas, rather than in the UK. PWB will share their experiences and advise on what an SME should do to launch their business in this evolving marketplace.

The seminar will also provide useful information on the future innovation strategies of Touch Bionics, The You Company and Scottish Development International sharing insight into the International market for Wellness and Health, specifically Japan.

We have a fantastic line-up of speakers, with a packed agenda

09.30 Registration, Tea & Coffee

10.00 Welcome from Wellness and Health Innovation Tom Ogilvie Innovation Centres (Scotland) Ltd

10.05 Where is the consumer wellness and healthcare market? Janette Hughes, Wellness and Health Initiative

10.20 Partnering for Consumer Wellness Boots Centre for Innovation

10.50 Lessons in launching a Wellness product pwbHealth (Breastlight)

11.10 Coffee Break

11.20 Launching Internationally - the Japanese perspective Scottish Development International

11.40 Growing Globally Touch Bionics

12.00 Launching into International Markets - The US Perspective, The You Company

12.20 Q&A Session

12.30 Lunch and Networking

13.15 Brokerage Meetings Boots Centre for Innovation, pwbHealth, Scottish Development International, Touch Bionics, The You Company

A series of brokerage sessions will be running throughout the afternoon to give you the opportunity to discuss your innovation with these key players.

We are delighted to have secured a number of companies that could accelerate your business into the market.

Boots Centre for Innovation
Boots is interested in ideas and products that focus on the following consumer needs:

• Improve ways to diagnose, treat and monitor key aspects of health, beauty and wellbeing through use of devices
• Support positive ageing through products and devices for mind and body
• Minimise the complications of living with chronic conditions
• Improve digestive health, particularly issues related to stress, poor diet and obesity
• Improve and maintain the health, look and feel of skin
• Minimise the severity and duration of pain
• Improve quality of sleep for everyone, including pregnant women, babies and the elderly
• Create more convenient methods of taking and using medicines and health products
• Improve the health and appearance of teeth and gums
• Improve the health, appearance and comfort of eyes

PWB Health
PWB Health brings together technology, research and management experience and is looking to work with companies to develop and market innovative personal early diagnostic and wellbeing products that have been designed for home use.

Touch Bionics
Touch Bionics is actively expanding its work in limb loss and limb impairment which embraces electromechanical engineering, controls software, human/machine interfaces for sensation and control, 3D shape acquisition and patient outcome studies. Additionally the Company is expanding its plans into other technologies and therapies that interface devices with humans (bionics) in order to leverage its growing sales channels and clinical footprint – therefore, companies wishing to scale their market reach quickly are of interest.

The You Company
The YOU Company provides cost effective health and wellness assessment service to the Occupational Health and Insurance Industries. The company is interested in working with companies that can help them harness the power of the internet and other technological solutions to facilitate the delivery of the product, bringing the health and wellness assessment to all at affordable prices.

Scottish Development International
Japan has the world's oldest population and by 2050, 40 percent will be 65 or older and demand for medical care will triple in the next 25 years. WHI in conjunction with SDI are planning an outward mission to Japan in March 2010 to give Scottish SMEs an opportunity to experience first-hand the challenges and opportunities in this market.

Wellness & Health Innovation
WHI has just completed its first year of operation. Come and meet a WHI advisor to find out more about the free-of-charge services available to accelerate your business growth.

Places are limited to 6 meetings per partner, so act early to secure your place!

Please email wellness@innovationcentre.org or call 0141 229 1800 to register for this FREE event.