Innovation – the four ‘C’s

What is the Australia-wide Innovation Festival?

• It is an event that encourages networking and business opportunities across all industry sectors – focussing on creativity, connections, collaboration and commercialisation in 2006;
  
• It aims to increase public awareness of innovation and entrpreneurship;
• There is national promotion of hundreds of events, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, networking functions, design showcases and trade fairs in both metropolitan and regional areas. To see what’s on in your area you can visit the website’s Events page;
• Celebrating its fifth year in 2006, the festival officially runs from the 26th April to 14th May 2006 but in enthusiastic areas like Gippsland there are many ‘pre and post’ activities and this, Gippsland’s third and final festival week (go to ‘full program’) is packed with ‘goodies’.
  

A new Gippsland event this year is the inaugural Wellington Shire Short Film Competition, run by the Briagolong Film Festival in conjunction with BigScreen Travelling Film Festivals. Finalists’ films will be screened Saturday June 10, at 8pm, in Sale at the Wellington Esso BHP Billiton Entertainment Centre.

Also this year, the National Australia Bank in Gippsland announced a three year sponsorship deal for the festival to support innovative local businesses.

“Many of our customers are active participants in the Gippsland Innovation Festival and we recognise that innovation represents a key part of not only their businesses, but also our future in the region,” said Kelvin McDermott NAB’s Regional Executive for Gippsland.