A FLAVOURED tea found in Waitrose; a loyalty card for charities; software specialising in Google’s Android smartphone platform – all these (and more) were projects coached, mentored and advised by BHP’s Innovation Team and were all winners at this year’s Blueprint competition.

Blueprint is a business plan contest, open to all businesses supported by the region’s universities. Originally intended for graduates and now in its seventh year, the competition is also open to the region’s further education colleges.

It is a celebration of the power of innovation among our next generation of business leaders.

The recent final was, as always, the highlight of my working year. By common consent, the previous event, while still the most energetic awards ceremony of the year by some distance, was a bit flat compared with past years, as the effects of the credit crunch limited the financial input by local professional services firms. This was reflected in a reduction in the prizes and economies in the ceremony itself.

Like last year, the table decorations were missing. Unlike last year, also missing was One North East’s brand identity, which, for the previous six years, had watched over the event.

Agnostic as I may be over the achievements of the regional development agency, I strongly support Blueprint’s showcase for graduate entrepreneurs. It is true to say that Blueprint wouldn’t exist in its current form were it not for the support of our friends at Stella House.

Professor Brian Tanner referenced this, mentioning that the regional development agency had felt it inappropriate for its logo to be displayed.

There was some poignancy to this comment, but also perhaps a recognition finally that the ubiquity of the One North East brand over the past decade has been more a symbol of political intent than economic necessity. Whatever the situation, the year to come heralds great change.

Cuts in teaching funds threaten the added value offered by the presence of enterprise in the curriculum of the region’s universities, not to mention many of the support programmes.

More directly, as its traditional sponsorship base continues to struggle and the foundation on which it is based disbands, Blueprint must and will find a way to convince those controlling the region’s purse strings of its relevance.

■ Matthew Rippon is leader of BHP’s Innovation Team. Email MatthewR@ bhplaw.co.uk or follow the team at twitter.com/BHPinnovate