About Innovation Upper Murray
The Project
Innovation Upper Murray is an exciting opportunity for our region to participate in building an improved and resilient future for all.
The project uses Smart Specialisation Strategy to analyse the community strengths and potential with the goal of creating a set of projects ready for investment.
The starting point of the Smart Specialisation process was a close examination of the existing status of economic, social and environmental characteristics of the area, and of publications and reports generated by the Upper Murray community groups and Shires the region sits across, to produce a regional context analysis.
Through that analysis, the assets and resources which are available to support economic innovation were made clear, as well as the key policy initiatives that are relevant to the region. Five innovation opportunities were proposed as a conclusion of this report.
The following stage was a series of Entrepreneurial Discovery Workshops, to investigate in detail each opportunity and understand which ones are worth pursuing. Following the workshops, four innovation opportunities were approved for further investigation and progressed to Innovation Working Groups.
The Innovation Upper Murray project is supported by Upper Murray Inc., Upper Murray Community Recovery Committee, Towong Shire and the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Four Stages to Deliver Innovation Ideas
Stage complete
Discover
Collect all available information, documents and testimonials to understand the current dynamics of the Upper Murray. Identify and explore themes for potential competitive advantage.
Stage complete
Define
Brainstorm each theme identified as within Entrepreneurial Discovery workshops, to define concepts that can become viable projects or businesses.
Stage in progress
Develop
Refine the concepts within innovation working groups and over several meetings, to test and trial projects in their value propositions for competitive advantage.
Deliver
Identify potential sources of government and private investment. Activate projects or business cases, maximise return on investment and value for the community.
The Process – Smart Specialisation Strategy
The LDS process engages Smart Specialisation Strategy, a collaborative approach that promotes innovation, economic transformation and sustainability by focusing on a region’s strengths and assets. This concept is underpinned by the understanding that the greatest knowledge of a region and its commitment to its prosperity lies in the people and organisation that are based there.
Smart Specialisation involves representation from community, business/industry, government and research/education in all stages, encouraging and supporting innovation and experimentation.
If you’re new to the concept of S3 we’re excited to have you on board to help us expand and strengthen this way of working across community, industry, research and education, and government.