NWIN - Background
NWIN is an association of all those organisations in the North West of England whose purpose is to support innovation. It has been in operation since 1999, initially known as the North West Science Park Network (NWSPN) until 2002 and has steadily increased its membership, which now includes all the major regional locations. It is deliberately inclusive, and all operations, actual or under development, which consist of a knowledge-based cluster of SMEs and which offer support for their growth may be members. These include both incubators and larger clusters.
NWIN is formally but not legally constituted, with an agreed set of objectives and elected Officers. It meets in various member locations at approximately quarterly intervals. The Network operates over the whole NW Region, from Ellesmere Port and Runcorn in the South to Westlakes in Cumbria in the North.
As its name implies, its present principal objective is networking: with each other, the NWDA, GO-NW, UKSPA and many other relevant bodies. It shares information, experience and best practice, and monitors activities within the region. It also collects statistics on its member parks, in order to track growth.