The extent of Brisbane's innovation landscape will be revealed with the release of the inaugural Brisbane Innovation Scorecard during the current Enable2010 event series that runs to July 28. 

The scorecard is a dynamic initiative from Brisbane Marketing in collaboration with Deloitte, University of Queensland Business School, Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government. The Brisbane Innovation Scorecard will be officially released on July 28 at the Lord Mayor's Leaders of Innovation event.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said the Brisbane Innovation Scorecard was an important measure of Brisbane's innovation footprint and highlighted our city's achievements in key industries.

"This initiative positions Brisbane as driver of innovation both at home and internationally," Cr Newman said.

"The Scorecard will help showcase Brisbane as a prosperous, entrepreneurial city and further strengthen our reputation as Australia's new world city."

The Brisbane Innovation Scorecard will measure the city's innovation and its effects on growth, productivity and the region's economic prosperity through a survey with 100 Brisbane businesses, the first of its kind in Australia at a city level applying international standards to measure business innovation. 

The aggregated results will provide a measure of innovation in the city with a specific focus on utilities, infrastructure, mining services and manufacturing industries.

Brisbane Marketing CEO John Aitken said innovation was critical for Brisbane to maximise its economic development, growth and prosperity.

"The Brisbane Innovation Scorecard will provide solid evidence of Brisbane's ability to innovate and challenge companies, businesses and individuals to keep pursuing world-class knowledge and innovation," he said.

"It will be a key promotional tool in marketing Brisbane as a city of innovation that is globally focused and continues to attract leading national and international companies to locate and innovate."

Tim Biggs, Brisbane managing partner for Deloitte said, "Deloitte uses innovation to help its people, its clients and its networks change their capacity to act.

"So when we first discussed the concept of an Innovation Scorecard with Brisbane Marketing we were keen that it would identify and celebrate the innovative businesses of Brisbane.

"We anticipated it would tease out the key characteristics of innovation that would continue to drive growth for the business community," Mr Biggs said.

"Almost one third of Brisbane's businesses that responded to the survey have embraced all five categories of product, service, process, systems and distribution innovation. In doing so they have the capacity to generate knowledge-based growth which is a major distinguishing factor of a New World City."

Tim Brailsford, who is the Frank Finn Professor of Finance and Executive Dean of the UQ Business School said cities must become centres of innovation, not just to create new businesses and grow existing businesses but also to address issues of energy efficiency, water use, transport, and affordable accommodation.

"The inaugural Brisbane Innovation Scorecard shows the vibrancy of this city as a hub of innovation across all sectors of the economy," Prof. Brailsford said.

"Successful innovators are found in mining, utilities, infrastructure, manufacturing, and food processing industries - not just in biotech and IT. It is interesting to note that much of the innovation revealed by the Scorecard research is ‘hidden' to other surveys because they tend to use patent applications and similar legal methods of IP protection as the indicator of innovation.

"Many companies in Brisbane reported using more informal and flexible arrangements to protect their IP. UQ Business School is delighted to be associated with this significant step in identifying and nurturing innovation in Brisbane."

Cr Newman encouraged everyone to join in Enable2010 from July 19 to 28 and celebrate Brisbane's excellence in innovation.

"Enable2010 will challenge industry, education and government to remain innovative and position Brisbane as the epicentre of commercially driven innovation," he said.

For more information about the Lord Mayor's Leaders of Innovation event, the release of the Brisbane Innovation Scorecard and other Enable2010 events visit http://www.enablebrisbane.com.au/.

• Part of Enable2010, the Australian Innovation Exhibition, supported by Business Acumen magazine, will also be staged in Reddacliff Place in Brisbane central on Monday and Tuesday, July 26 and 27. It features much of Queensland's most lauded innovations, including big ticket items the UniQuest-backed UQ Centre for Hypersonics Scramjet engine and the innovative sports aircraft designed and built in Brisbane, the Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire.

http://www.aust-innovate.com/

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