Home for business | all of which will help them become more competitive in the current economic climate. Our Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service, for example, has already proven to be hugely successful in helping businesses to improve process innovation and introduce lean management techniques. In the two years that it has been running, SMAS has helped to deliver almost £14m of value-added productivity and more than £40m in top-line growth to 65 businesses that have completed individual projects. We will also be encouraging companies to increase innovation and successfully exploit new ideas for commercial advantage. This will include working with them to undertake more research and development to help develop new products, processes and technologies and also creating better links between the private sector and academia. Our general R&D (Research and Development) grant, for example, has invested £35m in 33 projects and stimulated a further £260m of R&D activity. Programmes like ÔProof of ConceptÕ and the Intermediary Technology Institutes are helping to commercialise the intellectual property being developed in our universities. We will work with local authorities to ensure that companies accessing Business Gateway services that demonstrate high growth potential can be referred onto Scottish EnterpriseÕs wider programme of business support. Similarly, we will work with the newly established Skills Development Scotland to ensure that future skills and training programmes are linked to what ScotlandÕs key industries need to grow. Tel. 0845 607 8787 www.scottish-enterprise.com Innovating for Scotland Scottish Enterprise is ScotlandÕs main economic, enterprise, innovation and investment agency working with not only companies and individuals, but universities, colleges, local authorities and other public sector bodies to achieve economic success for Scotland. Covering the southern half of Scotland from the Grampians to the Borders, Scottish Enterprise is largely funded by the Scottish Government but also gains revenue from investments such as property rental and disposal of assets. ScotlandÕs key industries Ð energy, life sciences, tourism, financial services, food and drink, and digital markets and enabling technologies Ð are a particular focus for the work of Scottish Enterprise. Successes from the past year include: attracting 2,578 new high value jobs to Scotland through inward investment completing 74 deals through its investment funds where Scottish EnterpriseÕs investment of £17.3m leveraged a further £31.5m of private sector capital into 77 Scottish companies completing the Edinburgh BioQuarter deal with Alexandria Real Estates (see page 59), which committed new private sector investment of £250m securing 17 R&D Plus projects to the value of £16.8m Ð bringing new business based expenditure on R&D of £104.6m to Scotland. Those looking to grow their business can approach Scottish Enterprise to find their ideal business solution. Whether help with grants and support, business development and advice or searching for new markets abroad, getting the right business advice from the right organisation is essential.