• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Friday August 22 2014

Swindon’s status for innovation celebrated with festival

Swindon’s status as one of the most innovative places in the country will be celebrated with its own festival next month.

In January, the Centre for Cities ranked Swindon as the number 2 hotspot in the country for innovation – just behind Cambridge.

And the Festival of Innovation, which will be held at Swindon Arts Centre over the weekend of September 13 and 14, promises to shine a light on innovation that is happening in the town right now.

“This festival highlights the innovative thinking, technology and research that is happening in Swindon and the South West,” explains organiser Andrew Storm.

“It brings together some of the leading thinkers who are bringing new thoughts, ideas and services to our lives.

“Attendees will learn about the great projects happening in the local area, to help for career choices, business ideas or just natural interest.”

And the festival boasts a number of high profile speakers.

In The Imminent Revolution in Spaceflight David Ashcroft, MD of Bristol Space Planes, who will explain how space flight can be made affordable, so that one day anyone can take a tourist trip into Space, while in From Plastic to Power Adrian Griffiths, CEO of Recycling Technology, who will illustrate how recycle technology can turn plastic which was once unable to be recycled, with new technology, can be reused as a source of power.

In Engineering our Future Heritage, Rod Hebden, head of corporate development at the National Trust, will explore how some historic innovative engineering has become today’s treasured heritage.

And in What does innovation mean in the era of Social Media?, Marcus Lilley, CEO of Futrsocial, will debates whether these social media tools like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be used to effectively engage with customers and audiences.

Tickets, priced at £12, are available from the Wyvern Theatre Box Office at https://swindontheatres.co.uk/Online/september2014 or on 01793 524 481.

For more information about the festival, log on to www.innovationfestival.co.uk