Recent Stories
- Unborn babies 'practise' facial expressions in the womb
- Lancaster leads the way in cyber security bursary scheme
- Physicists gain insight into the UK's biggest killer
- Engineering students make finals of national start-up business competition
- Social media plagued by privacy problems, say researchers
- Lancaster Environment Centre conducts roadside pollution research for BBC
- Lancaster set to receive funding boost to stimulate UK's economy
- Billion-year-old water could hold clues to life on Earth and Mars
- How do we find out about cyber criminals?
- First, carbon footprints... now you can calculate your 'nitrogen footprint'
Eco-innovation businesses invited to attend pioneering project launch
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Ambitious North West SMEs keen to drive forward eco-innovative ideas and products are invited to a major event in Manchester on March 4.
The afternoon begins with the launch of the £9.8 million Centre for Global Eco-Innovation, by leading entrepreneur and former Science Minister Lord Drayson, of Kensington. Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) the aim of the centre is to support businesses develop innovative products which deliver environmental benefits.
The Centre unites the expertise, resources and global contacts of Lancaster University and University of Liverpool together with consultancy specialists Inventya Ltd, to undertake research, development and product commercialisation led by businesses.
The launch, at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, will showcase the work of the centre and 50 Northwest SMEs benefitting from the intensive three-year long collaborative projects. Fifty graduate researchers, are using the 'collaborations' as the basis of a PhD programme of study, 25 at Lancaster University and 25 based at the University of Liverpool. They are supported by senior academic members of staff, all internationally-recognised experts in their fields. The three partner organisations will have exhibition stands alongside other support agencies.
The centre provides opportunities for a further 235 Northwest companies to be supported in the development and commercialisation of new eco-innovative products and services. This support may be in the form of three to six month research projects or through free support from innovation consultancy Inventya Ltd.
Centre manager Dr Andy Pickard said: "This is an exciting new opportunity for businesses seeking support to increase their R&D capability. We have established 50 long term projects running over three years. Opportunities now arise to work alongside these projects and for businesses with their own ideas for new products and services which show environmental benefits, which have shorter development time scales or need help to bring their products to market."
Lord Drayson, who will officially launch the new centre at the exhibition (1.30pm to 4.30pm), gained his own PhD whilst working with industry. He is the Director of Drayson Cars Ltd, manufacturer of electric vehicles, and Managing Partner of Drayson Racing Technologies LLP, a business engaged in the research, development, testing and racing of green technology in motorsport.
The event will feature talks focusing on eco-innovation by Lord Drayson, the Vice Chancellor of Lancaster University Professor Mark E. Smith and the Director of Partnerships and Innovation at the University of Liverpool Mr John Flamson.
The event offers SMEs the opportunity to find out how to start a research and development project with the centre and to network with leading experts in eco-innovation, a wide range of local businesses, and national public and private organisations. Opportunities are available for a wide range of business sectors excluding retail.
Professor Sir David King, the UK Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Head of the Government Office of Science (2000 - 2007) and founding director of the Smith School of Enterprise & the Environment at the University of Oxford, will chair the new advisory board for the Centre.
Thu 21 February 2013
Latest News
Unborn babies 'practise' facial expressions in the womb
Researchers from Durham and Lancaster Universities suggest that a foetus's ability to show a "pain" facial expression is a developmental process which could potentially give doctors another index of the health of a foetus.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Mon 17 June 2013
Lancaster leads the way in cyber security bursary scheme
Lancaster is one of four UK universities selected to take part in an 'industry first' sponsorship initiative encouraging students to take up Masters-level cyber security degrees.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Mon 10 June 2013
Physicists gain insight into the UK's biggest killer
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the UK, accounting for a third of all fatalities through illnesses such as stroke and heart disease.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Wed 29 May 2013
Engineering students make finals of national start-up business competition
Engineering students Scott Nash, Daniel Richardson and Aaron Aboshio have won the northern heat of the Youth Entrepreneurs Scheme 'Engineering YES' competition for their spin-out renewable energy company Atlantis.
Thu 23 May 2013