Nearly 200 visitors attended a packed event highlighting technological innovation in south Hampshire.
Innovation Showcase 2020 was the second annual one to be hosted by Fareham Innovation Centre.
Thirty exhibitors, including occupiers at the centre, demonstrated products and services, from next-generation software to new-to-market hardware devices.
Commercial applications on display included state-of-the-art drone thermal imaging to identify heat loss in buildings and eco-smart energy storage units which lower office energy usage.
It was the first major on-site event for Monika Dabrowska, the new in-house Innovation Director for Fareham and Ocean Village Innovation Centre, Southampton.
Monika, who helps occupiers with business support, including one-to-one mentoring, workshops, seminars and programmes, said: “Both centres are home, collectively, to 85 diverse enterprises. Sectors represented here in Fareham include marine, aviation, aerospace and advanced engineering and manufacturing.
“There is an incredible amount of research and development going on with our occupiers, leading to prototypes and, ultimately, commercial applications. This was a brilliant opportunity to showcase to larger companies what they, and businesses from outside, are doing.”
A third Innovation Showcase, to be held again at Fareham Innovation Centre’s Bridge Conference Suite , overlooking Solent Airport, has been confirmed for early 2021.
Monika, who has extensive knowledge of innovative technologies across different sectors, said: “Feedback has been highly positive, with various requests from companies wanting to attend next year’s Innovation Showcase.”
More than 100 start-ups and early-stage firms at the two innovation centres are to benefit from Monika’s expertise.
One of her key roles will be to act as an innovation catalyst, guiding business owners from idea to profitable revenue streams.
Regarding business growth acceleration, Monika will also be identifying prime growth opportunities for customers, backed up with structured plans for realistic expansion.
As part of its technology focus, Fareham Innovation Centre has held a number of innovation challenges, involving a suitable mix of top expertise in each relevant sector.
One of the challenges looked in detail at automated flight technology for search and rescue missions, with a roadmap created to see what needed to be done to turn concept into reality.
With 55 serviced offices and 20 workshops, the centre is run by Oxford Innovation on behalf of the building’s owner, Fareham Borough Council.
Monika was appointed following a rigorous selection process by Oxford Innovation, which runs both centres, as well as two others in Hampshire – BASE Bordon Innovation Centre and Portsmouth Technopole.
Oxford Innovation also operates a further 22 innovation centres elsewhere across the UK.
