_____________________________________________

Donald MairCommercialisation and Knowledge

Exchange Team

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

£8,932,000,000

UK Government Funded R&D 2005 - 06

The UK Spends a Lot on Science

Comparisons

Police

Secondary Schools

NHS

UK Government Funded R&D 2005 - 2006 : £8,932m

£3574%

£2,59029%

£1,87521%

£1,69719%

£2,41227%

Government Funding Increasing

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UK Science budget (£M)

• Ten year science and innovation framework - promise year-on-year increase

• Current budget - 5.4% on average increase - above

inflation

All Governments Value Science

“The strength and creativity of our science base is a key national asset as we move into the

21st century.”

“Britain has an enviable record of scientific achievement and invention. No other country has a list of firsts like ours. As scientists and inventors the British are still amongst the best.”

“The new Britain will be built on skills, science and enterprise - backing the scientist and inventor, rewarding the entrepreneur, challenging all of us to improve our skills”

All Governments Value Science

“The challenge that faces us is the reinvention of our economy according to new principles. Science, maths, engineering and technology must be at the heart of that project. We must rebalance our economy so that manufacturing and research are as valued as finance and consumer services.”

“It is absolutely vital that the UK develops and builds on its outstanding record in science and engineering. Achieving this will require decisive action across the board: from our schools and colleges, to our research labs and science parks.

Government Innovation Initiatives

Do you think Gordon ever did a review?

So, David what shall we do about this innovation stuff?

_____________________________________________Government Innovation Initiatives

1993 Realising our Potential: A Strategy for Science and Technology

1998 Our Competitive Future: Building the Knowledge Economy

1999 Creating Knowledge Creating Wealth: Realising The Economic Potential Of Public Sector Research Establishments

2000 Enterprise, Skills and Innovation: Opportunity for all in a world of change

2000 Excellence and Opportunity: A Science and Innovation Policy for the 21st Century

2002 Delivering the Commercialisation of Public Sector Science

2003 Higher Education Innovation Fund Consultation

2003 BIGT Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team

2003 DTI Innovation Review2003 Lambert Review

2005 RCUK External Challenge for Knowledge Transfer

2005/06 Review of RC Support for Knowledge Transfer

2006 Gowers Review of Intellectual Property

2006 Sainsbury Review of Science and Technology

2006 Increasing the Economic Impact of the Research Councils

2006 Increasing the Economic Impact of the Research Councils

The New Mantra

EXCELLENCE WITH IMPACT: Warry Report on Economic Impact of Research Councils

Recommendation 1:

Research Councils should ensure that economic impact is given a high profile in Council strategy

Recommendation 2:

The Research Councils should influence the behaviour of universities, research institutes and Funding Councils in ways that will increase the economic impact of Research Council funding.

Range of Impacts

Wealth Creation

Training

Communication

Public Engagement

Jobs

EquipmentPolicy

Processes

New Companies

Societal Issues

Public Health

InternationalDevelopment

Schools

Skills

Products

Knowledge

Scientific Advancement

Excellent People

Excellent Science

Inward Investment

Knowledge Economy

STAKEHOLDERS

• ACADEMIA

• INDUSTRY

• PUBLIC

• GOVERNMENT

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

BBSRC funding totals around £450M p.a.

Our Mission (Royal Charter) is:

- to support high-class science and research training, and to promote knowledge transfer

- in support of bio-based industries and public engagement in

bioscience.

_____________________________________________Business and Innovation Unit Schemes

Funding:

• LINK• Industrial Partnerships• Research and Technology Clubs• CASE/Industrial CASE• Industry fellowships• Industry Interchange• KTP• Follow on Fund• Excellence with Impact• Enterprise Fellowships

Commercial Awareness Training:

Workshops Bioscience Exploitation Guide Young Entrepreneurs Scheme RC Business Plan Competition Parliamentary Fellowships

_____________________________________________BBSRC Innovation Pipeline

_____________________________________________Business and Innovation Unit Schemes

Commercial Awareness Training:

Workshops Bioscience Exploitation Guide Young Entrepreneurs Scheme Bioscience Business Plan Competition Parliamentary Fellowships

Funding:

• LINK• Industrial Partnerships• Research and Technology Clubs• CASE/Industrial CASE• Industry fellowships• Industry Interchange• KTP• Follow on Fund• Excellence with Impact• Enterprise Fellowships

_____________________________________________Bioscience exploitation guide

BBSRC Bioscience Exploitation Guide

_____________________________________________Bioscience Exploitation Guide

Web-based with accompanying booklet

Signpost bioscientists thinking of commercialising their research to appropriate information sources and expert contacts

cover main areas of commercialisation:- intellectual property- evaluation of market potential- exploitation strategies- funding and investment- help and support networks

use case studies to illustrate key issues

• Training and Networking Exercise

• Regional workshops for teams of upto 5 post docs

• Training from experts in the field of biotechnology commercialisation

• Prepare a presentation business plan based on imaginary idea

• The competition final (for £1000) occurs in December to find a national winner

www.biotechnologyyes.co.uk

_____________________________________________

Aims:

to increase awareness of the issues involved in developing a bioscience business,

help the formation of new bioscience business ventures

two stage format - Training - Mentoring

call closed

Research Councils Business Plan

_____________________________________________

BPC Bioscience Prize Winner 2003-04: Monica Healthcare

Foetal Health Monitoring CompanyUniversity of Nottingham

2005 Secured £450k seed investment

2007 Raised further £1m on CE marking

2009 Further £1m for expansion

BPC Bioscience Prize Winner 2003-04: Monica Healthcare_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________Business and Innovation Unit Schemes

Commercial Awareness Training:

Workshops Bioscience Exploitation Guide Young Entrepreneurs Scheme RC Business Plan Competition Parliamentary Fellowships

Funding:

• LINK• Industrial Partnerships• Research and Technology Clubs• CASE/Industrial CASE• Industry fellowships• Industry Interchange• KTP• Follow on Fund• Excellence with Impact• Enterprise Fellowships

_____________________________________________LINK - Collaborative Research

Nature of Scheme

• LINK resources are mainly concentrated in programmes, each addressing a particular area of science and technology & comprising a portfolio of collaborative projects

• LINK Franchise: BBSRC also supports ‘stand-alone’ projects which do not fit into an existing programme but which otherwise meet LINK criteria

_____________________________________________LINK - Collaborative Research

Criteria The project must involve collaborative research with at least one

company and one research base partner

Maximum funding available to any LINK project from Government/Research Council is 50% of eligible costs

Companies from all areas of UK can participate, SMEs particularly encouraged

Research projects must be pre-competitive in nature and would not be undertaken in absence of LINK support

Research projects must have an appropriate management framework and both scientific and commercial deliverables should be clearly defined

Agreements for ownership & exploitation of IP arising from the project must be agreed by partners

_____________________________________________Industrial Partnership Awards (IPA)

• academic/company research project

• address any area within BBSRC's remit

• industrial contributions must be cash

• collaborations with a minimum cash contribution of 10% have a preference for funding

Research and Technology Clubs

BRIC – Bioprocessing Research Industry ClubHow to manufacture biotherapeutics more efficiently

DRINC – Diet and Health Research Industry ClubBioactives in Food that Benefit Health and Improved Understanding of Healthier Diets

IBTI Club – Integrated Biorefining Research and Technology Club

Club mechanism: key features

• Agreement on generic research areas of industrial relevance

• ‘common pot’ funding (RCs/industry) funds 3 calls for applications – 2 stages outline and full application

• Industry members subscriptions on sliding scale (company size)

• Steering Group with industry and academic representatives

• Managed research programme (external coordinator)

• Development of a community promoting industry-academic links

• Dissemination of results to Industry Members

RC Follow-on Fund

• Recognised gap in current support for funds to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of ideas (RCUK Survey)

• End of a research grant before market able to pick up with route to commercialisation unclear

• The proof-of-concept model where further work on an idea will take it to the point at which the market opportunity can be secured e.g. through licensing, spin – out company (seed or venture finance)

RC Follow-on Fund

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

What will it fund?

Pathfinder Grants

• Small grants up to £10k

• Achieve commercial rather than science goals

• Market study, external expertise

• First Milestone Funding up to £20k

Aim is to help write the commercial development plan part of a full Follow on Fund application.

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

How are Pathfinders funded?

• Small grants £10k - ish

• Maximum duration 6 months - ish

• Open Call

• Guaranteed 15 working day turn around

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

Follow on Fund : What will it fund?

• Undertaking further scientific and technical development of an idea

• Improving an IP position by supporting further work to broaden patent claims

• Gain information about the market for a new products or process

• Identifying potential licensees or opportunities for joint ventures

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

How will it fund?

• Small grants £120k - ish

• Maximum duration 12 months - ish

• BBSRC has funded 80 projects worth £9m (success rate 28%)

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

How will it fund - 2?

• BBSRC Panel

• Panel drawn from research/industry/TT offices

• Each RC has ring fenced funding

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

Call Timetable

• No peer review therefore quick (12 week process from call to award)

• Three calls per year for proposals (BBSRC)

2010 Closing date 20 January Panel 25 February Closing date 24 June Panel 29 JulyClosing date 30 October Panel 2 December

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

What will it not fund?

• PhD student or squeezed three year post doc

• Basic research

• Applied research for companies

• Equipment

• IP costs eg patents

_____________________________________________RC Follow on Fund

And finally:

• BBSRC standard grant conditions apply

RC Follow-on Fund

• Further details:

www.bbsrc.ac.uk/business/followon/welcome.html

• Contacts:

BBSRC

Mary MacDonagh: e-mail:mary.mcdonagh@bbsrc.ac.uk;

Tel: 01793 413275

EPSRC

David Mahoney: e-mail: david.mahoney@epsrc.ac.uk

Tel: 01793 444395

NERC

Andrew Richardson: e-mail ajri@nerc.ac.uk,

Tel: 01793 411526

• post proof of concept fellowship

• a year's salary to develop a potential spin out company

• business training to help prepare a business plan and take idea forward

• access to mentors and industrial supervisor

• piggy backed to Royal Society of Edinburgh scheme

• Calls twice a year for April and October start

Thank you

donald.mair@bbsrc.ac.uk

www.bbsrc.ac.uk

Tel: 01793 413293

And finally