CREST will add significant value to the cross border business community - bridging the gap between academic discovery and expertise and commercial exploitation by facilitating collaboration, supporting research & development, and fostering sustainable technology development for the local economy. As innovation is the process by which new ideas are successfully exploited to create economic, social and environmental value, CREST will provide the much needed resources and professional support to stimulate innovation - primarily in clean and renewable technologies and therefore will ensure that local businesses have the required knowledge and expertise to succeed in the global market.