Michelle Mone, founder of Ultimo Bra Company, will be one of the keynote speakers at Fusion's annual two-day conference at Aviemore Highland Resort, held on Thursday and Friday of this week. 

Fusion is an Inverness-based organisation that supports entrepreneurs in the Highlands and Islands, having 200 ambitious members who come from all business sectors. The company focuses exclusively on linking ambitious and innovative companies with entrepreneurs, financiers and inventors, as well as each other.

This year's conference theme is Take it to the Top - creating strong foundations for major business growth and speakers include Michael Grandinetti from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston - a serial entrepreneur with a passion for technology entrepreneurship. He has extensive first hand experience of launching emerging technology companies and building them into substantial, international businesses. 

The lessons that Mike will share with the delegates will apply to all business sectors, focusing on areas where continuous innovation is required if a business is to grow substantially and keep ahead of its competitors.

Michelle Mone from Glasgow, who is one of the UK's top female entrepreneurs, will give an inspirational speech on Thursday providing valuable insights on the subject of entrepreneurship and innovation. 

Bruce Morrison, acting chief executive of Fusion, said:  "Every session at this conference will be led by top entrepreneurs imparting practical knowledge based on their own first hand experience. It's a great opportunity for some of the Highlands and Islands' most dynamic business people to get together and learn from some of the region's most successful entrepreneurs. The emphasis is on meaningful interaction, so we have banned Powerpoint presentations this year and are keeping the format flexible and participative."
 
Calum Davidson, head of knowledge economy said:  "Take it to the Top is all about building substantial businesses that will compete internationally and that will continue to be innovative in order to stay ahead of their competitors. It's about ambition, high aspiration and, most importantly, the real-life practicalities of making it happen." 

The sponsors of Take it to the Top are Highlands and Islands Enterprise, UHI Millennium Institute, Horizon Scotland, Harper Macleod and hijobs.co.uk.

Link to Fusion website