February 2004
Final of the 2003/04 Research Councils' Business Plan CompetitionInvitation for journalists24th February 2004 from 12.30
Royal Society, Carlton House Terrace, London
Members of the media are invited to the final judging and awards ceremony of the Research Councils' Business Plan Competition. Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury will present a trophy and a cheque for �25,000 to the winning team.
The event begins at 14:30 on Tuesday 24 February 2004 with a brief presentation from each of the competition's five finalists. After comments from the judges, Lord Sainsbury will announce the winner at around 15:45.
Members of the media are also welcome to attend a buffet lunch at 12.30. There will be an opportunity to speak to some of the teams who took part in the competition and view displays of their ideas. If you intend to come for the lunch or attend any part of the event, please let us know using the contact details below.
E-mail [email protected] or telephone on 01793-444312 with the following information:
1) Name and organisation
2) Whether you would like to attend:
a) the buffet lunch
b) presentation and prize giving
c) both
3) Also contact Jane Reck if you are unable to attend but would like the results of the competition e-mailed on the day/to arrange an interview with the winner.
Converting research into commercial reality
Novel portable foetal monitors, state of the art photofits for crime detection and virtually enhanced museum displays. These are just a few of the fascinating ideas that have reached the final of the Research Councils' Business Plan Competition.
UK research in science, technology and the arts ranks among the highest in the world. The aim of this competition is to help commercialise some of the best projects so that the whole of UK society can benefit.
The five teams in the final are from the University of Kent at Canterbury; the University of Nottingham; Camberwell School of Arts which is part of the London Institute; De Montfort University in Leicestershire and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
This is the first time that all seven of the UK's Research Councils and the Arts and Humanities Research Board have joined together to run the competition under the banner of Research Councils UK (RCUK).
The UK Research Councils invest more than �2 billion in research and training to support the development of new knowledge for the benefit of the UK economy and society. The Research Councils' Business Plan Competition provides support, mentoring and training to develop high quality business plans to commercialise research carried out in UK universities and research institutions. Participants in the competition submitted business propositions from across the arts, biosciences, the environment, science and technology.
Editor's Notes
The five teams in the final and project leaders are:
- EIGENFIT, Dr Christopher Solomon, University of Kent at Canterbury
- The Holographic Image Studio Ltd, Dr Martin Richardson, De Montfort University
- ThruVision Ltd, Dr Jonathan James, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (CCLRC)
- 'Monika' � a Foetal Health Monitoring company, Dr Barrie Hayes-Gill, University of Nottingham.
- VEMDis � Virtually Enhanced Museum Display, Dr Angie Geary, Camberwell College of Arts
1) Further details of the competition can be found at www.research-councils.ac.uk/businessplan/. The Competition Manager is Jane Nicholson 01793-444408 or contact Sarah Cooper 01793-444422, e-mail: [email protected] Contact Jane Reck at the EPSRC press office with media enquiries relating to the Competition on 01793-444312 or [email protected]
2) Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the strategic partnership established in May 2002 to champion research. Supported by the seven UK Research Councils and the Arts and Humanities Research Board, through RCUK the Councils are working together to create a common framework for research, training and knowledge transfer.
3) The seven UK Research Councils are:
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC)
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC)
- The Arts and Humanities Research Board is expected to become a Research Council in 2005.
4) The contact details for Research Council press officers are:
The Research Councils UK Secretariat can be contacted on 01793-444420 or [email protected]. Further information can be found at www.rcuk.ac.uk
The Gatsby Charitable Foundation has supported the high quality training and mentoring component of the competition (www.gatsby.org.uk) The Department of Trade and Industry is also supporting the competition (www.dti.gov.uk/)
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