Business leaders from across Bradford have been picking up top tips on innovation from some of industry's leading names at an interactive event.

Around 100 delegates gathered at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television for a Department of Trade (DTI) and Industry Living Innovation event last night.

And they took part in a live satellite link-up with a studio on London's South Bank, where television presenter Adam Hart-Davis quizzed top names from companies including Cobra Beer, Fresh Minds, Wolfson Microelectronics and Lush about what makes an innovative business.

The key ingredients which emerged from the national debate were a dynamic company culture, good people and a willingness to take calculated risks.

Following the national event, which was screened to audiences of business people in 25 cities around the UK, a local panel of delegates debated the issue of innovation.

Linda Will, managing director of Bradford-based Accord Mortgages, spoke of the need to establish a positive attitude towards work among young people while they were still in school.

And a number of delegates raised the importance of building better links between education and industry.

Alan Rae, of the Robinson Design Group, said: "It is fundamentally important that we build better links with schools and communities to enable the very best people to come through."

Naim Butt, managing director of Prime Packaging Ltd, spoke of the importance of creating a "fun" environment to allow good people to flourish.

John Pennington, who chaired the event, organised by Bradford Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Yorkshire Forward, said he felt it had been a "fascinating and enjoyable" evening.

The event also saw the launch of a new DTI scheme called Innovation Quest to help identify the UK's most innovative companies.

For more information about the project, visit www.innovation.gov.uk/livinginnovation2003