Idea Birmingham member and partner meeting 18th December 4.30-6pm
Date of Next Meeting 23rd January, 2014, 4.30-6pm P249 BCU Parkside
Attendance
Beverley Nielsen, BCU, Meeting Facilitator
Sophia Tarr, Freelance Project Manager, Cultural Projects working with EC Arts/BCU School of Art/CFAR &
Selfridges
Dr Phil Extance, PVC, Aston University
Bill Good, CEO Diverco; Warden Assay Office
Peter Turnock, Director, CMA Moldform
Sandy Taylor, Sustainability and Eco Matters, Birmingham City Council
Sam Lewis, Ember TV
Dav Bansall, Director, Glenn Howells Architects
Simon Topman, CEO, Acme; Chairman Millennium Point
Candy Yuan, Yuan Ltd
Nigel Morisson, Marketing, AGA Rangemaster
Keith Gabriel, Rewired
Charles Morgan, Advisor
Ranjit Chandi, Associate Director, RBS
Kimberley Loynes, Marketing, Millennium Point
Susannah Goh, Birmingham Science City
Richard Vickery, General Manager, Harvey Nichols, Birmingham
Alun Hughes, Technology Teacher, King Edwards VI School, Five Ways
Steve Heron, Nodding Dog
BCU
Prof Paul Ivey, PVC, BCU
Dawn Beddard, Alumni and Communication Manager, Marketing BCU
Matt Height, Marketing, BCU
Louise Bartowicz, Marketing, BCU
Prof Kathryn Moore, Landscape Architecture, BCU
David Osbaldestin, Vis Comm, BIAD BCU
Iain Acton, Design Management, BCU (and Disruptive Lemonade)
Harinder Matharu, Students Union, BCU
Jane MacAllister, Student Services, BIAD, BCU
Philip Thickett, Head, School of Media, BCU
Alexa Torlo, Research Innovation and Enterprise, BCU
Sarah Archer, Marketing BCU
Agreed Outcomes (and some background information):
1. 2014 Dates
It was agreed to hold two key Birmingham Made Me Design Expo events in 2014
1) May 5-11 2014 Innovation and Design BMM ‘Ingenious’ (working title) a Jobs Fair, Skills Show
and Co-Creation Week focussing on Millennium Point/Library of Birmingham to include -A) Co-Creation activities with schools, students, businesses, public perhaps on theme such as, 'Birmingham
Made Me Ingenious' - how Birmingham is going to be even greater thanks to realising our inspiration around
sustainability and well being
B) TBC during 5-9 May International Day with UKTI / England China Business Forum, HEIs, and globally
recognised business/design speakers
C) 9th May Jobs Fair with Millennium Point/ Birmingham City Council to include audience of
schools/colleges/students and employers with parents targeting 10k attendance
D) 10th/11th May Harvey Nichols to showcase some of great ideas that will make Birmingham Happier!
E) BMM Schools Programme
F) BMM Student Business Collaborations and co creations - with best designs going to making and
commercialisation stages
G) First stage Schools Design Competition with Award winners going forward to next 'making' stage
H) To include public vote to select best designs to go forward to making/commercialisation. Awards
Presentation to go ahead 8th May 2014 as planned and agreed with Teacher Steering Group.
ACTIVITY FOCUS:
1) Linking emerging talent to employers/getting jobs
2) Using HEI youth to link to new markets and opportunities overseas
Target Audience:
1) Schools, Students, (manufacturing and innovation led ) Businesses/employers looking for
emerging talent.
2) Public in so far as engage with Co-creation activities, but primary focus on the interface of education
and employment.
3) Overseas businesses and links developing from International Day: How Midlands business is
taking opportunities with education to link into overseas markets creating dialogue between
emerging talent to open up overseas markets, especially to SMEs. E.g. in BRICs, Brazil, China, India,
Russia and Next - 11 countries. (UKTI, England China Business Forum, etc)
Action: 1) BN to write design brief for BMM May Co-creation and Jobs Focussed event
2) 27-31 October CITY WIDE Birmingham Made Me the Original Design City Expo and Awards Millennium Point (MP) at the hub of City-wide activities including -A) Birmingham Needs YOU - business engagement campaign targeting 'every business in Birmingham'
showcasing some areas of excellence that they are associated with/would like to be associated with
B) Guerrilla ECO - Garden, Light and Architecture and performing artists trail through Birmingham
where all roads lead to MP from all quarters of wider City and especially --
Library of Birmingham
Bullring
Jewellery Quarter
Digbeth
Longbridge through Birmingham Light Festival 28, 29, 30 October (date TBC) led by EC-Arts to support
international collaborations. Simon Topman mentioned exploring lighting project at MP through EC Arts
C) Design Expo – the Original Design City - showcasing sustainable, eco- friendly Birmingham, place where
quality of life is great and people are Happy :) showcased under themes of Live, Play, Move and Work with
themes radiating across the City
D) BMM Innovation and Design Awards Celebration Friday 31st October to include Fashion,
performance, song, dance, Awards showcase
ACTIVITY FOCUS:
1) Birmingham as great city to live, work, play and move around in together with how we can make it
better
2) Engaging with newcomers to city – new influx of students and helping them to understand more
about the city and the opportunities presented by living and studying in Birmingham
3) Contribution HEI/Education and business partners are making to the city especially by working
together
4) Promoting entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial collaborations across business, social enterprise,
charities and public sector partners
Target Audiences:
1) Schools, Colleges, HEIs, students, education
2) Birmingham and Midlands based (manufacturing and innovation led ) businesses and
employers
3) Partners engaged in helping to make Birmingham a Better Place to live, work, play and
move in
4) Public – promoting greater sense of awareness of Birmingham as great place to live, work,
play and move about in
Action: 1) BN to write design brief for BMM –the Original Design City - October Design Expo
event
3)EXPO NAME:
In light of BCU contribution to making Design Expo happen – total cash contribution at £84k out of £220k cash
paid in 2013 and the time commitment by BCU Employer Engagement team, BN raised the question of
whether the Design Expo might be called the BCU Birmingham Made Me Design Expo.
This suggestion was overwhelmingly rejected by all partners and business members of Idea Birmingham. It
was felt it would result in the exclusion of partners, the isolation of the initiative and that it was also an
ungainly and rather awkward phrase.
It was explained to those present that the Design Expo name is Birmingham Made Me and that the think tank
that had proposed this activity is known as Idea Birmingham (see Background information with Idea
Birmingham Mission and Objectives below)
4) Pre BMM a Promotional activity agreed A) NEC Interiors 19-22 Jan, Furniture and Design Show, NEC Birmingham
B) Spring Fair 2-6 Feb, Gift and Home Buying Fair, NEC Birmingham
C) Mach Fair, Manufacturing Technologies, 7-11 April, NEC Birmingham
5) Extending BMM contacts:
BN to engage with MAS, EEF, SMMT, STEM Group, Marketing Birmingham ref Marketing of Year of Science
activities, Aston University Engineering Academy, MITM, Industry Forum, Matthew Boulton and all FE Colleges,
Birmingham Alabama, Lyon, Leipzig, Brazilian Post follow up - others - please include as appropriate.
BN to send list of Target companies for the School programme to Charles and Charles to send his business
contacts.
BN & Iain to with BCU staff to get access to big groups of students for January through Social Media.
6) BN to get full list of KTPs/Student Entrepreneurship activities across West Midlands
7) BMM App working title, 'BMM Brainport', and Social Media plan /activity to be developed to promote
all activities at both BMM Co-creation and Design Expo events (school of Media/Vis Comm)NOTE: reference
Brainport http://www.brainport.nl/en/
8) Design Expo to focus on 'images of the future' of how Birmingham will make people happy as place to
live work play and move
9) Student OpportUNIty to be put in place for student team to help manage activities at both May and Oct
events
10) BN to progress links with Chinese communities and to meet Candy Yuan in New Year to bring
together Chinese community and company engagement.
11) Bill Good keen to visualise and promote 'Mono Rail' for Birmingham as practical, low cost, mass transit
option
12) Budget - BN has raised £45k from business and partners' Idea Birmingham membership contributions
to-date.
Renewed Idea Birmingham membership subscriptions to-date (work in progress)
Corporates:
Acme Whistles
AGA Rangemaster
Custard Factory
JCDecaux
HME Technology
RBS
WB the Creative Jewellery Group
Funding / grants raised from
£9.2k from the Big Lottery Awards4 All (Schools Design Programme)
£12k via John Rider, IoD for educational activities promoting manufacturing and design careers opportunities
for young people in the West Midlands.
BCU agreed to make an Employer Engagement contribution equal to last year. Millennium Point keen to
contribute again, for Board discussion early 2014
13) PR/Comms to (once again) equate to 20% of BMM investment - will be 'put out' for Birmingham
and National input as key to success as not regarded as sufficiently successful in 2013.
14) Schools, Student-business Collaborations Programmes at heart of all BMM Design Expo.
Student Competition outlined – see Hacking the Future brief at http://birmingham-mademe.org/highlights-of-2013/downloads/ . Other HEIs/FEI Colleges welcome to participate.
Design Expo Schools Programme (DESP) launched and welcomed with enthusiasm. Steering Group had
been formed and met and timetable for 2014 activities had been agreed with two further meetings planned
for 29th January and 12th March with Schools Awards Celebration event planned for 8th May 2014. A4 flyer was
being prepared which could be promoted to schools and would be available in January 2014 at
http://birmingham-made-me.org/highlights-of-2013/downloads/ link
14) Background information:
Idea Birmingham is the BCU-led membership based think and do tank leading policy outcomes on how
design-driven innovation and entrepreneurial collaboration is vital to Midlands wealth creation and
competitiveness. www.ideabirmingham.co.uk
Policy reports from this think tank include 2012 launched at Tory Party Conference, 'Looking for Growth, Sack
the Economists and Hire a Designer' and 8 Policy Pamphlets covering 100 plus speakers at 2013 Birmingham
Made Me Design Expo which focus on 'how to' create a working innovation eco-system and how to move
beyond narrow sectoral focus to cross sectoral innovation and best practice transfer. All recommendations can
be made by the City region itself with no government intervention. Government can help by promoting cross
disciplinary, cross sectoral and cross regional self help and eco-system based approach http://birminghammade-me.org/highlights-of-2013/downloads/
Birmingham Made Me Design Expo and Awards www.birmingham-made-me.org and
activities is a key business inspired and led outcome from the Idea Birmingham think tank to put Birmingham
on the global map for its world-beating design and innovation excellence led by creative cultures that have
changed the world for the past 300 years since Abraham Darby was granted his patent by Queen Anne in 1707
to smelt iron ore with coke at Coalbrookdale and the rest is history - except its very much a living legacy that
moulds and forms our character as a can-do, can design and make city region that is the worlds best 'self made
place'.
Idea Birmingham Mission and Objectives http://www.ideabirmingham.co.uk/StrategicObjectives.aspx
Strategic Objectives

Position design-driven innovation and entrepreneurial collaboration at the heart of the region's
growth strategy and economic success.

Leverage the region's existing brand capital and cultural heritage to provide a strong marketing
platform enhancing regional identity, promoting existing brands and supporting emerging brands.

Through the IDEA Leaders Network, develop a collaborative philosophy to encourage a
multidisciplinary IDEA-based culture through skills and knowledge transfer to create opportunities
for growth through focussed public and private sector action.


Mission: Design Expo and Awards


Objectives: Years one and two
Establish a robust, unique Design Expo format housing at least 70 large exhibits and generating a
measurable and significant footfall during a week-long Design Expo, hosted at the Mailbox,
Birmingham.

Design a distinctive Awards concept to attract individual and collaborative submissions from
companies, students and upcoming entrepreneurs providing entrants 'unfettered access' to a
Midlands-based regional brand platform leading to new business opportunities and sales.

Develop a sustainable Design Expo growth strategy and a success buzz to ensure strong stakeholder
demand challenging out-dated perceptions of Birmingham and the Midlands.

Establish a focus on excellence and momentum amongst West Midlands universities, FE Colleges
and schools for Design Expo as an alternative option to 'New Designers' and facilitating innovation
and knowledge transfer opportunities to create real growth and jobs.
Within the next 5 years, put Birmingham and the Midlands firmly on the map by establishing an
internationally-renowned Design Expo of innovative, authentic, regionally-based brands by
showcasing upcoming graduate and entrepreneurial talent driven by business and university
collaborations, rewarding design excellence, user-focused innovation and commercially-viable,
radical design visions that can be produced for sale.
Linking Purpose to Target Markets
Linking schools, Colleges, Universities, sources of value adding knowledge, businesses as the value creation
chain for the region together with entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial collaborations between partners.
Developing skills supply chain fit for purpose for West Midlands wealth creation needs and development as we
move up the value added chain with special focus on the manufacturing and brand led businesses at the heart
of the Midlands and representing our unique character and inimitable distinctiveness
Promoting a stronger image and reputation of the City and region to 'ourselves' (the public) politicians in
region and UK and policy makers, the media to ensure a ready supply of talent required to drive economic
development, sustainable growth and well being into the future
Some Achievements to-date 2012-13
Hille Chair design by James Plant
Acme Whistle design by James Plant
Rebecca Struthers Watch Design for Lonmin and Morgan (on market in March 14)
Emma Shipley into Harvey Nichols Birmingham
Claire Farrell EC-Arts Lighting Festival and 48 Sheet Collaboration with BCU
AGA sustainability and archive collaborations with BCU
BCU EE working with Design Council
BCU EE work with All Party Manufacturing Group
Malvern Outdoor Elements – Newco started and BIAD / BCBUS student projects underway.
2 BMM Retail Outlets including 25 traders leads to new business formations, collaborative projects including
Glass Domain (Jewellery Quarter), Melomaster (Coventry), Willard Wigan, sculptor – international
tour, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Coleshill Plastics.
Prof Kathryn Moore linked into Sir Albert Bore, UNESCO, HS2 contacts, etc
Prof Mike Ward (TEE) linked into AGA along with Panch Sunthalingam (BIAD) and David Prytherch (BIAD) with
separate sustainable and archive KTPs as outputs from collaboration
BIAD School of Architecture receive prestigious donation and Professorial Chair
Cartier linked into School of Jewellery leading to collaboration with LVMH
Prof Lubo Jankovic introduced to Sustainable networks Midlands/UK
Dr Kerry Gough working with CMA Moldform
Jack Row introduced to Harrods
15) Post 2013 Design Expo review available at http://birmingham-made-me.org/highlights-of2013/downloads/