Innovation Day 2010, Thursday 15^th April, 1.00pm - 10.00pm Pride Park Stadium, Derby 

Over 250 of the East Midlands' leading pharmaceutical and healthcare representatives will gather in Derby on 15^th April for Innovation Day 2010, the annual symposium and business awards for the healthcare and bioscience sector. They are each being challenged to come away with at least one great thought to build on as a lasting legacy from the event. Renewed interest in bioscience commercialisation, sparked by the confirmed closure of the Astra Zeneca plant in Loughborough, is anticipated to generate a raft of innovative ideas, some of which may well come out of this day.

Hosts Medilink East Midlands have designed a programme to inspire delegates with the latest news of success and to encourage cooperation and joint ventures. Session sponsor BioCity Nottingham will deliver one of a series of showcase presentations by growing life science firms to help delegates better understand the commercialisation process, including access to funding, and recent scientific advances.

Leading industry experts from 3M, Novozymes Biopharma UK and NIHR Clinical Research Network will reflect on the place innovation holds in academic and business life.

"Innovation Day could not have happened at a better time," says Dr Darren Clark, chief executive of Medilink East Midlands. "When the global healthcare industry catches a cold, past experience shows us that the antidote is innovation. Out of that innovation comes solid market research and products which we come to know and trust. Each year, Innovation Day brings the leading lights of the sector to learn, debate and celebrate together. I challenge every delegate to come away with at least one new, potentially great idea."

Culminating in a gala dinner and Awards presentation, Innovation Day is a celebration of one of the region's biggest economic contributors to long-term wealth, investment and employment. Drawing on his world record-breaking achievements, blind athlete and adventurer Miles Hilton-Barber is guest speaker at the dinner. Miles says:  "The only limits in our lives are those we accept ourselves. Great innovators are those who focus on their dreams and goals - not their circumstances". 

BBC East Midlands Today presenter Dominic Heale will host the Innovation Day awards during the dinner. The five awards categories and sponsors are: Export Achievement (UK Trade and Investment); Innovation (Potter Clarkson); Outstanding Achievement (The Design Unit, De Montfort University); Partnership with the NHS (NHS Innovation East Midlands) and Best Start Up (Healthcare and Bioscience iNet).

Innovation Day is a major contributor to the annual iFestival designed to promote and celebrate the importance of innovation in the public and private sectors. Co-ordinated by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and East Midlands Innovation (the Regional Science and Industry Council), the Festival will run to 23 April with hundreds of events across the region.

For further information please visit http://www.medilinkem.com/