In a powerful demonstration of collaboration, NRI joined forces with Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Kent to host the Medway Business and Innovation Conference on 22 October. Held at the Rochester Corn Exchange, the event brought together business leaders and industry experts from across Southeast England to share insights to drive sustainable growth and transform the regional economy.

The conference featured engaging workshops and keynote addresses that explored the region's prospects and obstacles, covering topics such as sustainable growth, innovative product development, digitalisation and AI, and enhancing employee skills. Besides hearing from experts, the conference was an opportunity for local businesses to explore how to work with and leverage the expertise and facilities of the universities to support business growth.

Professor Nazanin Zand conducted a workshop on how to reduce operational costs and improve environmental sustainability in business. She explored topics like energy-efficient technologies, waste reduction and sustainable sourcing that benefit the environment and make businesses more competitive and resilient. She said: ‘NRI is committed to integrating research with business to drive meaningful impact in Medway. By connecting innovative research with industry needs, we aim to foster a collaborative environment that strengthens the local economy and supports sustainable growth.’ Professor Zand is Head of the Food and Markets department at NRI.

Valerie Pondaven, Food Accelerator Manager at NRI, introduced our Food Accelerator programme to conference attendees. The Food Accelerator is a pioneering initiative led by NRI that is helping to facilitate food innovation and entrepreneurship. By providing access to the facilities of the state-of-the-art Medway Food Innovation Centre, the programme is helping start-ups in Medway and beyond overcome the infrastructure bottleneck for prototyping and technology validation. The initiative also facilitates consumer testing and market trials/consultations and leverages research for commercial purposes thus fostering a supportive environment for new and growing businesses.

Dr Stacey Duvenage Lecturer in Food Safety and Dr Micael Lima, Lecturer in Food Innovation at NRI discussed options for closing skills gaps and upskilling for a competent and resilient workforce in business.

University of Greenwich Vice Chancellor Professor Jane Harrington was delighted to see the university taking a leading role in the Conference. She said: ‘A huge thank you to colleagues in NRI and Greenwich Research and Innovation (GRI) for being so proactive. This is an initiative involving the region’s three universities. It was attended by over 100 representatives of business, local councils and included a number of Members of Parliament. It is hoped that it will be the first of many such events ensuring the universities play a fundamental role in enhancing the local economy.”

The event was organised as part of the One Medway Charter to provide a platform for conversations to help drive economic growth and innovation in the region. The charter was signed in the summer of 2023 by local organisations who work together to deliver programmes that will benefit the people and communities of Medway. Signatories to the One Medway Charter include Medway council and the Universities at Medway – University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Greenwich (represented by NRI).