Dragon's Den style entrepreneurs boost UK's innovation culture

Biggest primary school innovation project to build on UK's success

Dragon's Den style inventors with big ideas are helping to create a nation of innovators, new figures show today.

The UK's push towards entrepreneurship and the popularity of TV shows like Dragon's Den means the UK can boast a large proportion of individual inventors. The success is marked today with the launch of Cracking Ideas - the biggest innovation project to be targeted at primary school children.

Figures from the UK Intellectual Property Office show that in the first three months of this year almost 30 per cent of all patent applications came from individual innovators - many of them entrepreneurs looking to build a business on the back of their invention.

Although the majority of patent applications have always come from companies and research teams, individuals who have come up with an idea on their own are proving to be an important part of the UK's innovation culture.

In total, more than 1800 individuals put in an application for a patent, which protects their idea, in January, February and March of this year.

Britain's 'go-it-alone' inventors are following in the footsteps of some famous names. Frank Hornby, invented Meccano as a way of keeping his sons entertained, Owen Maclaren came up with the collapsible pushchair when his daughter and grandson struggled to get around, and Trevor Baylis invented the wind-up radio in his home workshop.

Science and Innovation Minister, Malcolm Wicks, said it was important that innovation was in the public eye. He said:

“Britain remains a nation of inventors, taking their ingenuity from the garden shed to commercial success. Entrepreneurs and the passion of those who appear on shows like Dragon's Den can really inspire innovation,” he said.

The figures were revealed today at Westbury Park Primary School, Bristol to mark the launch of Cracking Ideas. It is the biggest innovation project ever introduced to the UK's Primary Schools. From today special lesson plans, activities, a competition and dedicated website will encourage the children of today to become the inventors of tomorrow. Wallace & Gromit are fronting the campaign.

Cracking Ideas fits in with the National Curriculum and is aimed at 9 to 11 year olds. The aim of the lesson, activities and competition, which every primary school in the country will have a chance to enter, is to encourage children to be innovative and show them how they can profit from, and protect their ideas.

The project, which is led by the UK-IPO, is based around a dedicated website - www.crackingideas.com - which is also where schools can enter an invention for a nationwide competition.

Speaking at the launch in Bristol today, Malcolm Wicks said:

"Some of the big inventions we will see later this century may be in the minds and imaginations of young children today. Cracking Ideas is an effective way of engaging children in innovation, tied into the National Curriculum."

"Teachers will have the resources and plans through the website to help them get involved. We are moving towards an innovation economy and this is an excellent opportunity to get children interested at an early stage."

Nick Park, creator of Wallace & Gromit, said:

"Inventiveness has always been central to Wallace's character and I have sketch books full of Wallace's eccentric inventions that have never made it to the screen. It is fantastic that Wallace & Gromit can excite young kids about innovation in the classroom."

Editors' notes:

• Percentage of individual inventors making patent applications:
  
  2005 - 24.64
  2006 - 25.80
  2007 - 27.79 (First three months)
• Numbers of patent applications from individual inventors:
  
  2005 - 6469
  2006 - 6676
  2007 - 6954 (projected on first three months)
• Cracking Ideas was developed by Bell Design and Communications for the UK-IPO. There are three lesson plans, pupil, teacher and competition zones on the website www.crackingideas.com

Date of release: 04 June 2007