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This is a great interview of Dan McQuillan by David Wilcox at last week's UK Catalyst Awards which gives me real encouragement. It's a real pity that people in CLG will not be able to watch this (unless they do it from home).

Over the last five weeks of my part-time secondment I've been trying to join things up so that Government supported 'awards' and 'competitions' have pathways into funding for innovation and that one funding pot links across to another etc. I'd also like to see Government funding act in a catalytic way by helping the networks that build up around events (like 2gether08, Shine, UK Catalyst Awards) to maintain themselves on an ongoing basis so that ideas can feed off ideas, innovators can meet other innovators and investors, commissioners and so on.

Although, it has to said, that I have been pushing on open doors . . . there are still one or two barriers to be overcome. Watching Dan's interview is a great encouragement.