Beat Blue Monday: celebrate the innovators who are changing the world

More than 300 innovators have teamed up to celebrate the most inspiring innovations from 2020 - and they’re inviting people in engineering, health, technology, manufacturing, education, science and more to join in.

Led by innovation start-up Solverboard with the Bristol Innovators’ Group, the Standing Ovation campaign will celebrate people who are working every day to change and improve how the world works.

Businesses and individuals are invited to nominate their innovation heroes for a Standing Ovation Award, and to share the innovations and innovators that have inspired them on social media using #standingovation.

The social media campaign is due to kick off on Monday 18th January in what the organisers have described as the ‘antithesis to Blue Monday’.

Charlie Widdows, Co-Founder of Solverboard and part of the Bristol Innovators’ Group, says:

“The business world talks a lot about innovation, but it rarely shines a light on the innovators themselves. And when it does, it tends to focus on superstars like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos.

“In 2020 the Bristol Innovators’ Group grew from 50 people to more than 300. It was a difficult year for many, so we focused on bringing people together to create positive change.

“After such a tough year we thought no one wants to spend any more time focusing on negativity, do they? So we decided to launch Standing Ovation to celebrate everyday innovators - the people inside businesses who are on the ground, making positive change happen, day-in and day-out.”

James Snelgrove, Co-Founder of Bristol Innovators’ Group and Innovation and Growth Specialist at Business West, says:

“Innovation is essential to the progress of society, every new product, technology or invention is built upon the innovations of the past - the people behind them, their mindset and determination, can inspire new generations.

"Bristol has a rich history of leading the world in new innovations and the Bristol spirit of collaborative endeavour is essential to our identity.

“Technology innovations have enabled us to connect with our colleagues and loved ones throughout 2020, and driving speedy responses to the pandemic. It definitely feels like the right time to stand up and give the people who are making innovation happen every day the recognition they deserve.”

Rob Sheffield, Co-Founder of the Bristol Innovators’ Group and Director of Bluegreen Learning, says:

“Most innovation efforts go under the radar. People don’t get the recognition they deserve for their determination, intuition and courage.

“Celebrating their contribution to positive change and growth in the city is one of the key reasons the Bristol Innovators’ Group exists, and we want to give them the attention they deserve.

“We have big aspirations for this year so the Standing Ovation campaign is the perfect way to kick off 2021.”

The nominations will be combined into a new report that the team hopes to publish in February to coincide with the annual Innovation Day.

Take part in the Standing Ovation Campaign 2021

You can nominate someone in your business, someone you follow on social media, or someone you’ve never met but who you think is awesome.

We’ll publish a piece rounding up all of the nominations and showering enterprise innovators with the recognition they deserve.

You can use this form to make your nomination, and take part in the social media campaign by sharing the innovators that have inspired you using #standingovation.

https://www.solverboard.com/blog/introducing-standing-ovation

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