Following on from the publication of the strategy, the Technology Strategy Board hopes to discuss priority areas of focus with the business community and establish where it can offer help and advice through its activities.
Speaking at the Technology Strategy Board's annual showcase event, Innovate09, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills Lord Mandelson encouraged business to engage with the Board, arguing that innovation during the downturn is essential to stimulate future economic growth.
Lord Mandelson said: "In difficult times it's crucial that we capitalise on economic opportunities and invest in our future. That's why the Technology Strategy Board prioritises investments in expertise and technologies that offer prospects for growth or address major challenges."
The document is released at the same time as the UK Government-backed Technology Strategy Board announces an investment of £82.5m in the development of innovative new technologies.
"Between now and next spring, businesses across the UK will be invited to compete for £39.5m of government funding for R&D in fields such as regenerative medicine, transport and logistics, agriculture, infectious diseases and low carbon housing. Driving innovation in these areas where the UK has strength and competitive advantage, will speed our recovery and help deliver a strong economy coming out of the global downturn." Said Lord Mandelson. In addition, the Board is reported to be announcing the creation of a new 'Innovation Platform' in Sustainable Agriculture and Food. This will bring business, government and academia together to focus on innovative solutions to the challenge of food
The strategy contains a great deal of information about how the TSB plans to engage with industry, what the current market looks like, and how UK businesses can and should get involved. There's also a mention for SAFENANO in the form of a case study on the initiative as a successful contributor to the field.
In summary, the main elements of the action plan for the next 3 years are:
- Infrastructure Review and Recommendation – independent review of the current state of UK infrastructure, including the 24 UK MNT nanotechnology centres of excellence, in order to identify new opportunities.
- Collaborative R&D – work with other TSB technology sectors to encourage business & academia to enter into the area of nanotechnology R&D
- FP7 Leverage Programme - increase participation by industrial partners in European Framework 7 competition bids.
- Responsible Development – initiate and maintain partnering with EU and OECD for Responsible Development of nanotechnology worldwide.
- Accelerating nanotechnologies to market – working with research councils and government departments to increase speed of commercialisation of such products, and resolve issues of regulation, public perception and conflicting market data
- Knowledge Transfer – work with Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTNs) to develop transfer of ideas and knowledge from academia to business
- Road mapping – review and clarify current roadmaps to produce new and improved integrative roadmap which can be valued by the business community
- Promote UK Excellence in nano worldwide – showcase UK excellence to establish our global standing and encourage research collaborations and widen market access.
The identified actions are promising and are clearly in the right direction. However, as with all such plans, the success or failure will depend on the implementation and critically, the resources which are devoted to it. Given current pressures on Government spending, there is unlikely to be enough to satisfy all of the demands which could arise from this plan. Hard choices will have to be made if the UK is to build on the progress so far achieved
To read the strategy in full, please click
here.