Cabinet Office
24 July 2007
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, has announced that a consortium including the Innovation Unit, acevo and Headshift has won the £1.2 million contract to deliver the new Innovation Exchange pilot – a programme to support the third sector's capacity to innovate.
The Innovation Exchange forms part of the Government's ‘Partnership in Public Services Action Plan’, which aims to remove barriers to greater third sector involvement in public services. The Exchange will offer innovators online resources including information, contact with other innovators and contact with appropriate sources of investment. Beyond this the programme will offer tailored support to the most promising innovators, including training and guidance. This will help innovators to see their bright ideas become reality, improving services for those who use them.
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector said:
“I'm very pleased that we have found a partner to deliver the Innovation Exchange that combines both the know-how and creativity to make it a real asset for the sector.
“The Innovation Exchange will open up a range of exciting opportunities for people in the Third Sector who have great ideas for making services better. As well as an accessible online presence the Innovation exchange will offer peer-to-peer learning and help innovators find appropriate support.”
Work is starting immediately on the web dimension of the project and the programme is expected to be officially launched in October.