OIP will promote a cultural and operational shift from a closed innovation model to an open and connected model. In doing so identify and encourage transnational collaboration and partnering to maximise European level synergies and development potential in the knowledge economy. Aims; • Design and deliver open-innovation activities to knowledge sector companies. by a process-oriented approach. Focusing on external. European level sources of knowledge and opportunity. • Determine. by practical interventions. what activities are necessary to enable SMEs and intermediaries to drive commercialisation. using open innovation. • Design / deliver open innovation support to unlock inertia in Universities. Translating business requirements into actions applicable to research commercialisation. • Improve the quality of linkages / platforms between NWEs intermediary organisations. Universities and SMEs • Determine how NWE regions can tap into existing European support structures. Utilise the Innovation Scoreboard to measure and enhance innovation performance. Aims will be achieved by on the ground deliverables of demonstrable transnational value. including; - innovation boot camp and challenge competitions - open innovation capacity building programme for SMEs - pre-incubator expertise exchange programme - transferable open innovation techniques and skills for researchers. post-grads and key academic staff. Partners will develop enhanced ability to stimulate innovation and strengthen the capacity to commercialise products and processes that create economic value. OIP contributes to Lisbon targets of 70% employment and 3% R&D spend and accelerates the European areas of excellence agenda. Also builds on other successful European innovation work making it more accessible. Achievements: IntroductionThe Open Innovation Project has sought to unlock the innovative and entrepreneurial potential of North West Europe - by broadening participation in entrepreneurship, while promoting and supporting open, collaborative forms of innovation.The project partners - through a continual process of cooperation and collaboration - have successfully delivered a diverse and dynamic programme of activities. Here are some examples of our achievements so far:From Awareness Raising to Academic ResearchProject activities have been wide ranging – from high profile events, including the founding of Turing International Technology festival, and Open Innovation (OI) showcases (video one and two) at the British Library, raising awareness of Open Innovation amongst the public - through to the production of academic research on a host of Open Innovation topics.Encouraging EntrepreneurshipWe have widened participation in entrepreneurship through a range of programmes. Citrus Saturday is a notable example. It provides 12-16 year olds with enterprise training - and importantly - the opportunity to run their own business selling to the public. All while strengthening the links between communities, business and academia.For those in or entering Higher Education, programmes such as Fuselab, Megabrainstorm and Converge Challenge OI – a transnational business competition for university students – have created an environment supporting commercialisation of Europes world-renowned knowledge base.Innovative Innovation and Support for Startups and SMEsWe have created resources such as the Lead User Handbook to guide SMEs in the use of OI methodologies; while Masterclasses on Open innovation have been developed and run, and 1-2-1 mentoring provided, to give hands-on support to businesses. To support business creation and growth, a range of activities have taken place - including Startup Bootcamps.Possibly the most pioneering action in this area has been Neoshop. Aside from offering co-working and co-design spaces, the Neoshop boutique sources its products solely from startups - allowing them to make that vital but difficult first step into the marketplace, and acquire not just revenue but valuable customer feedback.Project ExtensionActivities under our original project mandate ended in May 2014. We have however been successful in our application for additional funding via the Interreg IVB NWE extension call - allowing us the time and resources to further leverage the experience we have gained, and the strong partnership which we have developed.We are using this opportunity to drive forward progress in key areas such as commercial exploitation of Intellectual Property, Lean Startup methodology, Crowdfunding and transnational business-to-business collaboration.Summary of Key Results to date (31 March 2014) Number of jobs created: 221 Number of new businesses: 138 Number of new products/services: 213 Businesses with improved innovation capacity: 973