THE region's first action team established to promote and stimulate innovation in regional business has been restructured to promote expansion plans.

The original team of specialists, known as Pioneer, has proved such a success that they have had to establish a stand-alone business operation, to be called the Innovation Institute, to help deliver the regional economic strategy.

Pioneer was established by regional development agency One NorthEast and during the past year has successfully delivered a number of the region's innovation strategy programmes, including the Innovation Action Fund, the New Products Programme and Upstarts.

Ed Brown, managing director of the new Innovation Institute and previously head of Pioneer, said: "Due to the overwhelming success and the growing breadth of programmes along with the need to ensure the sustainability of this activity, it was agreed that we had to review the organisation responsible for managing the continued delivery.

"Pioneer team members and One NorthEast have been working together to agree the most effective long-term solution to promote and deliver innovation within the region."

This resulted in the formation of the Innovation Institute, a not-for-profit organisation comprising Ed Brown, Brian Wilson, Sue Watson and Bruce Wood.

This team will continue to deliver innovation programmes within the region for One NorthEast and act as a regional coordinating team to give focus and drive to champion innovation.

By working with local business support organisations, the Innovation Institute hopes to improve the support for entrepreneurs and forward-thinking organisations and also "fast-track" access to the funds available for eligible businesses and projects.

The team's overall goal is to lead, manage and monitor the main actions within the regional Innovation Strategy and Action Plan.

This plan is part of the region's ten-year blueprint for economic success.

Mr Brown said: "We will build on the success started by Pioneer, bringing focus and drive to regional innovation.

"The team will work to ensure the words in the regional Innovation Strategy and Action Plan are put into action. This drive and coordinated approach has never happened before."