30/07/2024

Norfolk and Suffolk Unlimited, Connected Innovation, Space East and NAAME exhibit at Farnborough International Airshow

The Inward Investment team exhibited at Farnborough International Airshow from 22nd-26th July, in partnership with the Connected Innovation, Space East and NAAME teams to promote the wide range of businesses across Norfolk & Suffolk that excel in the Aviation, Defence and Space sectors, to engage with foreign investment opportunities, and to connect other businesses to our region.

In advance of the show interviews were filmed at Rockford Components and Roland Plastics (both based in Suffolk) as well as the Norfolk based business, TechPoint. This produced some great interviews with business representatives promoting their activities as well as talking about why the region is such a great place to be based. These videos were complimented by footage taken from across the Connected Innovation, NAAME and Space East networks, which were shown on the screens at the stand throughout the show.

Our stand proved to be a huge success with the team acquiring over 100 contacts (with more expected). The stand had visitors from local businesses including KLM Engineering UK, Mirus, AQ  Rockford, Productivity East and SaxonAir who were all very positive about our regional representation of local strengths, to the extent that some have suggested a joint exhibition for future events.

Some highlights also included:

  • Hearing the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaking in support of the sector.
  • Meeting and engaging with businesses who were keen to understand how our innovation ecosystem works and how they can get involved.
  • Stuart Catchpole meeting Astronaut Dr Rosemary Coogan and discussing Space East’s collaborative project with NI Space and Space Wales using Earth Observation and space technology to tackle the issue of Harmful Algal Blooms as well as the uses across our agri community.
  • Being visited at the stand by several space businesses, who were hosted by British Embassy Washington, with the UK Space Agency as part of their tour of the UK Space Cluster stands. 

Over the next couple of weeks the team will be collating leads and further engaging with organisations in and out of the region to explore opportunities for business growth and development.