Technology Strategy board

Technology Strategy Board
Driving Innovation

News Update

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Innovation for growth

With the first hints appearing of an end to the recession, the government has published Going for Growth: Our Future Prosperity – a forward-looking strategy to maintain the UK's reputation as one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business. Launching the report on January 7th, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said "Growth is ultimately created by enterprise and innovation, and by the dynamic and talented genius of people who are in businesses and companies. But that does not mean that government should stand aside and do nothing. Going for growth is the government’s number one priority this year." The report highlights the vital role of innovation and the work of the Technology Strategy Board in building future growth.

Going for Growth: Our Future Prosperity on the BIS website

Watch the launch of the strategy on the Number10 website

On the same day the Technology Strategy Board announced a wide range of new investments in business innovation as a result of recent competitions - in low carbon vehicle technologies, carbon abatement, high value manufacturing and feasibility studies in a range of digital and other technologies.

Satellite
A journey in space

There is new momentum in the space industry. February 10th sees the launch of the UK Space Innovation and Growth Strategy for 2010 to 2030, developed jointly by industry and the public sector, including the Technology Strategy Board. We have established a cross-KTN Space Special Interest Group to support the development and implementation of the strategy. And Lord Drayson recently announced a new UK Space Agency for 2010, creating a new cross-government framework for space policy and funding. The UK Space Board, which includes which includes our Chief Executive Iain Gray, is leading the transition to the new agency.

Galileo contract for UK company

Reflecting the UK's growing excellence in this area, the European Commission announced this month that it has selected a consortium led by OHB-System AG and UK company Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd to build and test 14 satellites for the Galileo satellite navigation system. Commenting on the news, Lord Drayson said "The UK is fast becoming a world-wide destination for high-tech, high-skilled advanced manufacturing – and the UK space and satellite industry, with strong order books for the next five years, is a sterling example of this."

Innovate '10 – London, October 12th

Put it in your diary now: the date has been set for Innovate ’10, the must-attend event for all involved in innovation.

The future of the internet
A new business and academic group has been established to help the UK play its part in shaping the internet of the future - giving the UK a common voice on the development of the internet, highlighting research and development priorities, advising government and contributing to EC initiatives.

The UK Future Internet Strategy Group (UK FISG) has been established by the Technology Strategy Board and its Digital Communications Knowledge Transfer Network, with endorsement from the Department of Business Innovation and Skills and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Acorn founder to review innovation centres

In early January, Lord Mandelson announced that Hermann Hauser, founder of Acorn Computers and partner in venture capital firm Amadeus Capital Partners, has been asked to lead an urgent but systematic review of the UK’s network of innovation and industrial excellence centres. The Technology Strategy Board will be engaged in this review.

The aim is to build on the strong base we already have and consider how the success of models elsewhere could be emulated in the UK.

Case study

Reduce, reuse, recycle and now retrain

A research and development project led by Sheffield-based company Active Recycling Ltd has developed a unique method of recovering electronic waste for reuse, together with a brand new e-learning course in how to do it.

The REFLATED project has developed new ways to disassemble LCDs and separate out the potentially hazardous components into new products.

Entrepreneurship - the vital ingredient

The Technology Strategy Board is taking a fresh look at the subject of entrepreneurship.

A working group chaired by our Board member Sara Murray, the current ‘Entrepreneur of the Year,’ is being set up with an initial focus on the earliest stages of business creation, looking at opportunities and barriers. The group will gather views and set up a web forum to act as the voice of the community.

Watch the website for further details including how you can get involved.

innovate_uk on Twitter

Competition news

Sign up for competition notifications - stay up to date with competition announcements, activities, events and submission deadlines by signing up to our fortnightly competition notifications.

Important information about competition administration: for all competitions opening in 2010 visit the competition pages on the innovateuk.org website.This includes all the competitions listed below. For competitions which opened in 2009 submission is still via the technologyprogramme.org.uk website.

Current and forthcoming competitions

Plastic electronics - building the technology supply chain
Closes 25 February, 2010

Fighting infection through detection
Closes 25 February, 2010

New approaches to crop protection
Closes 25 February, 2010

Helicopter Rotor Blade Scintillation
Opens 11 February, 2010

Energy efficient Whitehall
Opens 22 February 2010

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