10095290Threads of Change - Driving innovation through a knowledge sharing platformClosedInvestment AcceleratorInnovate UKThe Fashion and Textiles (FT) industry is rapidly evolving, driven by emerging sectors like Fashion tech, Bio-textiles, Smart Textiles, and Sustainable textiles. This evolution blurs the traditional boundaries between Arts and STEM, demanding a new set of interdisciplinary skills for future innovators and professionals. Drawing from my two decades of experience in Smart Textiles, I emphasise the urgency of equipping the next generation of FT designers for these transformative sectors. There remains a huge gap between what people think they need to know for a career in FT, and what knowledge is actually required for innovative work in the industry. Unfortunately our universities have siloed the Arts and STEM and we don't get a mulit-disciplinary set of skills sets when we graduate. The societal mindset is that one studies STEM for jobs like Engineering and Medicine while you study art and design to become a Fashion designer. These stereotypical mindsets is detrimental to creating a culture of innovation and being prepared for the jobs of the future. Currently the knowledge and skills needed for these emerging sectors are taught and researched within a few universities in the UK. High tuition costs and scarce availability of such programs make it an opportunity available to only a very small group of people. This is greatly slowing down our ability to research and innovate within these sectors, fill the skills gaps in the industry and play a role in the transformation of the global FT industry. Threads of Change aims to bridge this gap by establishing an accessible and affordable knowledge-sharing platform. This initiative seeks to inspire, educate, and support individuals interested in the evolving FT sectors. Through real-world examples and life stories of innovators with diverse backgrounds, Threads of Change intends to challenge stereotypes and encourage engagement with emerging technology in FT. With specialised online courses by experts on the emerging sectors, we will provide a curriculum relevant to the industry and its requirements which can be accessible for those looking to explore this area (no matter what their background) or those in FT professions who want to advance and up-skill. This service will lay the ground work needed for a career in innovation in FT, prepare people for the jobs of the future and promote diversity and inclusion in innovation resulting in both societal and economic benefits for the UK and beyond.