Access opportunities through the Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) was established by the Government in 2007 to invest in UK manufacturing companies to maintain and develop their international competitiveness. Its aim is to stimulate technology-enabled innovation in the areas which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity.
It is sponsored by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and focuses on promoting, supporting and investing in technology research, development and commercialisation, spreading knowledge and bringing people together to solve problems or make new advances.
The TSB also advises Government on how to remove barriers to innovation and accelerate the exploitation of new technologies. It works in areas where there is a clear potential business benefit, helping today's emerging technologies become the growth sectors of tomorrow.
Currently, two competition calls are of potential interest to the marine sector:
1. High Value Manufacturing
- Step Change in Competitiveness
- Value Systems
In this competition, TSB will be focusing on innovation in four broad areas, known as “The Four Pillars of High Value Manufacturing”:
- Products
- Production Processes
- Service Systems
- Value Systems
Important dates for this competition are:
4th February - Briefing day (optional)
26th February - Expression of Interest deadline
You can find further details at http://www.innovateuk.org/_assets/pdf/competition-documents/highvalmanufacturing_competition_071008.pdf
2. MATERA+ Call March 2009
MATERA+ is an ERA-NET+ Action funded by the European Commission (EC) and focusing on material science and engineering.
The Technology Strategy Board has allocated an indicative budget of €1.5 million to support UK industry and associated science and technology organisations within MATERA +.
The MATERA+ call is for transnational, interdisciplinary, innovative R&D projects related to materials science and engineering in certain European countries and regions, including the UK. Topics to be addressed in the 2009 Call are:
- Multi-functional Materials
- Engineering Structural Materials
- Bio-based Materials and Bio-inspired Materials
The call is open to industry, universities and research centres. The project consortia are challenged to demonstrate the whole chain from basic research to application-oriented research.
A competition call will be launched during March 2009.
The following websites and contacts will provide further details http://www.matera.fi
or http://www.innovateuk.org/deliveringinnovation/internationalprogramme/matera.ashx
Alternatively call Graham Mobbs, European Operations Manager or Alan Hooper, Lead Technologist Advanced Materials on 01793 442700
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