Will the last bean-maker in the country...

Recession takes its toll on British innovation

Having just committed to some £20k of my own money on just the first stage of patents around the world, I am indeed hoping this will prove a better investment.

I had hoped to get a bit of grant support for my International Gold Medal-winning design, especially from a new 'Proof of Concept' fund.

However, despite it being very certain to be assisted by more IP protection, further prototyping and some market research, I was told by one of the scores of officed, staffed and mightily comms budgeted quangos not to bother applying as they didn't think it would qualify. And have, as yet, to explain why.

I think there might be growth on pen-pushing, target-meeting and box-ticking areas though.

Good for unemployment figures. Not so great for creating areas that can generate income.

I think we are headed towards being a nation of bean counters. And if all end up just counting beans, where will the beans be coming from to feed our families?

What goes around... can go around again

That's my strap line for the new RE:tie logotype.

And it becomes ever more pertinent as I read such as this...

Packagingnews - Keeping tabs on integrity - For obvious reasons (Junkk.com's RE:tie evolves from a tamper-evident closure), I am glad to read all this.

Especially when I read in the same piece that Innocent is working with Tetra-pack in the area of reducing plastics use by tons.

Imagine the impact if we can redesignate much that is currently impossible to reduce any further to reuse as well as viable recyclate.

With the added benefit of inspiring the buying consumer as much as the box-tickers and target meeters.