A GROUP of Omagh companies interested in bringing ideas to life have attended an 'Innovate' workshop at the Slieve Russell Hotel in Co. Cavan. The Innovate workshop was organised by Omagh Enterprise Company and Leitrim County Enterprise Board. It is part of an overall Innovate programme aimed at helping companies to develop new products and processes and increase profitability and is part-financed by the European Union through the Interreg IIIA Programme managed for the Special EU Programmes Body by the ICBAN Partnership for ¤856,391.

The Innovate programme could be very useful to companies who are thinking about new products, new ways to do 'regular' tasks or using new technologies to sell a product.

The workshop aimed to give small business which already have bright ideas and the skills to turn them into profit. More than 20 companies attended ranging across creative industries, health, food and construction. The companies came from Omagh district and Leitrim and, during the afternoon, they took part in an energetic networking session.

The workshop, which ran for a day, covered the best method to develop ideas and very critically, identifying the ideas which have most chance of success. It provided an opportunity for businesses to do some 'blue sky' brainstorming and to gain some practical perspective on their procedures and products. The latter half of the morning also covered how to protect Intellectual property, how technology can enhance innovation for business and what is the best way to bring a product to market via branding and selling techniques.

Cyril Kelly of Soupstone Productions based at Omagh Enterprise Company has been in business for one year.

"We found this workshop very useful," he said, "as producers we are often more focused on our product but not how to sell it. This workshop helped us work out what are unique ideas and how to protect our own creativity.

"Of course, it's always good to meet other businesses too and, in fact, we will be working with one of the Leitrim companies. So that's not a bad start."

Omagh companies that attended were Agri Cycle, a farming recycling system for farm waste plastic, Cleantec, specialists in professional power cleaning equipment and services, and Soupstone Productions which specialises in TV documentaries. From Leitrim, there was a diverse mix of business and ideas – Bandit Films TV production, MC&A Health and Safety on site, 3L Music productions using the internet and NW Marketing.

The Innovate programme will continue to offer support to Omagh companies via one to one mentoring to assist in specific areas along with regular information sessions. Omagh Enterprise is currently looking for more participants.

According to Sharon Tracey-Collins, Business Innovation Officer, "We want to dispel the notion that innovation is only for high-tech, glamourous companies. Innovation for business could be using the web for the first time to produce accounts, research markets, taking an idea and getting people to buy it.

"For many businesses they may be doing a lot of very creative things already but might benefit from the programme in finding more efficiencies. We would encourage any business who is doing things differently, thinking about new products or who simply would like to find out more to contact us."

The Innovate Programme is running currently and to find out more contact Sharon at the Omagh Enterprise Company 028 82 249494.