Foreword from Trevor Gregory
Director of Yorkshire Science

Welcome to 2007 and the third edition of our E-zine.  We are delighted to report that the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) has been accepted by the board of Yorkshire Forward.  Currently, the team and I are working on a detailed implementation and delivery plan due for presentation to the board in March 2007. 

In this edition, we will look at one of the key pillars of the strategy, 'Working with Europe' in more detail.  Now that we have received the go ahead for the RIS, we are increasing our efforts to inform businesses about the importance of innovation for a competitive edge. 

We are involved in several seminars, presentations and network events over the next few months.  Please do try to get along to one of them to find out about our plans and some of the organisations available to help businesses to be more creative. 

In particular, we are taking part in a debate about inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs at the Yorkshire Forward inaugural 'Business of Innovation' open day (29th January 2007, National Media Museum, Bradford).

We are also pleased to announce the launch of our new website.  Aligned closely to the four main areas of focus of the RIS, the website, designed by New Media Collective, is full of information about events, case studies and news items.  We would urge that you check it regularly for updates about what is happening in the region and how innovation is creating a knowledge driven economy for a healthy and sustainable future for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Yorkshire Science Members

Regional Innovation Strategy Update

The Regional Innovation Strategy written by Yorkshire Science outlines four key pillars of activity to create a stronger economy for the Yorkshire and Humber region, through science, technology and innovation. 

The four areas of activity identified within the strategy are Business Innovation, Innovation Hubs, Working with Europe and Northern Collaboration.  Yorkshire Science proposes that stronger strategic alliances within Europe will present significant opportunities for businesses in Yorkshire.  Exchanging ideas and best practice, and building effective relationships across Europe are encouraged in the latest Framework Programme (FP7), commencing 1st January 2007.

The Framework Programme is the European Union’s (EU) main method for funding research and development.  The latest Funding Programme (FP7), has a budget of £36 Billion (€50 Billion) set aside for R&D, to run until 2013.

Based around four main headlines - Co-operation, Ideas, People and Capacities – its main aim is to raise Europe’s innovation and R&D performance.  The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) complements FP7, both are focussed upon the EU ambition to establish Europe as the world’s most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010.

Yorkshire Science is one of many organisations encouraging businesses in the region to consider joint FP7 projects with European partners to develop new products and processes.  Part of the support programme around FP7 includes setting up a network of ‘Champions’ who have had success with previous Framework Programmes, to offer advice and guidance to others.

Dr Trevor Gregory, director of Yorkshire Science and author of the Regional Innovation Strategy, thinks it is critical that more regional businesses investigate potential FP7 funded European collaborations, he said:

“Yorkshire and the Humber is already home to some world-leading innovative companies.. Closer collaboration and joint working within Europe, sharing research, resources and best practice, opens up a vast market in terms of funding and expertise.  We hope to encourage more businesses, large and small, to exploit the opportunities offered for joint research and development projects using FP7 funding.”

As well as businesses benefiting from European collaborations through FP7, the region’s universities, which already possess world-leading research, can significantly benefit from partnering, sharing best practice and optimising research, resources and capabilities.

FP7 gives SMEs the opportunity to experience a large, multi-faceted project.  As well as the benefits associated with exploitation of new product IP, businesses gain skills of international partnership agreements, mentoring and leadership skills, elements of professional development that can help businesses to grow.  

However, for some the prospect of a multi-million, multi-national large scale project, may seem daunting, so the region has called upon businesses that have had success with FP projects to act as champions.

SURGICAL INNOVATIONS - CASE STUDY

Surgical Innovations based in Leeds, is active in creating leading edge surgical equipment for Minimal Invasive Surgery and Autologous Blood Transfusion.  Formed in 1992 the company is a leading manufacturer with an international presence and representation in all major markets through specialised distribution.

The company now employs over 40 people dedicated to creating medical technology for faster patient recovery.  Stuart Moran is Joint Managing Director of Surgical Innovations, and Framework Programme champion.

“We’ve been involved in two Framework Programmes (4 and 5); we were looking for a new technical medical device to help the company take a leap forward.  We didn’t know how to develop this on our own, so we spoke to our contact at Nottingham University, Professor Wood.  He’s an expert in a particular alloy and he told us we needed a lot of fundamental research that would require significant investment.  He suggested we should put together a European programme.

“We worked on our proposal with specialists M4 Technologies, a spin-out from the University.  It took a while to put together but we created a collaborative team spanning ourselves, a French micro machining company, an electro polishing company and a laser cutting company, both based in Germany, and diamond coating business,  based in the UK.  Finally, we used the University of Huddersfield for our mathematical modelling.

“Surgical Innovations acted as the prime proposer with four other SMEs.  What we felt was lacking in our proposal was an opportunity for significant exploitation of the IP.  We brought in Arc, a rapid prototyping house, they added value to our case, but the real coup was when Smith & Nephew became involved.

“All of these European Framework Programmes are about research and exploitation, so it was very important to demonstrate that we had a credible route to exploit the technology.”

Whilst Surgical Innovations didn’t receive a brand new product from this particular association, they were able to participate in some very big science and invaluable and fundamental research.  Mr Moran acknowledged that this would have been out of reach for an SME without the European involvement.  He said:

“The most important thing is choose the right partners, we could never have achieved the fundamental research, nor had access to it, alone.  Now that we have it, we are using it for multiple new and existing products.”

Moran maintains that the intangible benefits of a large scale collaborative project, have paid dividends in the development of Surgical Innovations as a company, he says:

“We were able to experience running a very large project; the whole team gets experience of multinational, pan European projects.  This has spurred us on to be involved in other big projects.  It gave us access to new technology and thinking way beyond our capabilities as a stand alone SME and enables smaller companies to undertake longer term research.

“Usually, the R&D constraints on a small company are to deliver an income result in a year or within six months.  This gave us the ability to reach long term research goals.  These programmes allow SMEs to do long term research undertaking really big science and big research that you couldn’t contemplate on your own.”

“We had nine parties involved, they were there from day one, we still do business together, we all gained experience and a fundamental step change in technology.   It’s really worthwhile doing, fantastic ways of running projects, not easy, there is considerable administration involved, but then, if you want substantial funds,  you have to work for it.

"I would also recommend that you have sound IP and exploitation agreements very early on.  We ended up with a technology that we are using in other projects, and the company has changed dramatically.  Being involved in this has given me the confidence to manage other large projects; the technologies and experience have been invaluable and really changed the business."

TUNSTALLS CASE STUDY

Established in the UK in 1957, Tunstall is the World's leading manufacturer and provider of personal and home reassurance telecare solutions, which help an increasing range of people at risk in their own homes, maintain their independence.

Tunstall solutions are distributed across the globe and the company has just started a project backed by the EU as part of Framework Programme 6 (FP6) with a major consortium.

The ‘Service Oriented Programmable smaRt environments for Older Europeans’ (SOPRANO) project will design and develop space-smart services with natural and comfortable interfaces for older people at affordable costs.  Aimed at improving the quality of life, it widens the existing Tunstall philosophy of allowing more people the freedom and ability to stay in their own homes, and live independently, and safely, for longer. 

The consortium has a total of 25 partners from all over Europe.  They represent the whole value chain for Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) from academic research, local authority provision providers, to quality integration.  The project is coordinated by The Tunstall Group Ltd (United Kingdom) with the first official project meeting scheduled for 31 January 2007.

Mike Hodges, R&D Director for Tunstall Group and project leader for SOPRANO, is looking forward to beginning this large scale, international project. He said:

“We have a three-day kick-off meeting commencing 31st January, with over 40 people taking part.  Tunstall has two roles, first as coordinator of the project and secondly as the technology exploiter.  We are involved in this to help the project remain focussed on the AAL domain and give Tunstall exposure to the technology and solutions which are developed as part of the project.  This will put us in a position to be able to take to market the technology that comes out. 

“Sometimes, FPs tend to have a predominantly research element but not always with an exposure to the market they are designing for; as the World’s number one in Telecare Solutions, Tunstall will guide that development towards addressing  market needs.

“This is a 40-month programme involving 25 partners within the consortium.  In partner consortiums it can often be the case that culture gets in the way of a working relationship.  However, the benefit of the framework programme is that it enables different companies from different territories to create alliances they would not normally make.  The framework programme brings them together so that ongoing relationships have the opportunity to be longer term. 

“On the whole, regulation has been harmonised across Europe, which makes a programme of this scale easier to manage and administer.  The SOPRANO project takes Tunstall into an exciting arena.  A lot of our products are aimed at supporting people so that they don’t have to go into care.  The SOPRANO project is aimed at making the quality of life better within a home, so that the pyramid of care they would have to enter into is significantly delayed.  We are tremendously excited about bringing together so many partners in a project over three and a half years.” 

The 40-month long project will have 600 users taking part in research of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) products in their own homes.  A top priority for the project is that the products are familiar and completely user friendly; the new intelligent safety systems will fit naturally and smoothly into an existing domestic setting. 

Business of Innovation - Open Day

On Monday 29 January 2007, Yorkshire Science will be one of the many organisations taking part in the inaugural Yorkshire Forward ‘Business of Innovation’ Open Day at the National Media Museum, Bradford.

The open day will be an opportunity for businesses in the region to discover the support available for companies wanting to turn a creative idea into a viable commercial reality.  Hosted by Yorkshire Forward, visitors will be able to see interactive displays, meet innovation experts and gain invaluable insights from specialist advisors.

There will be displays on show from some of the region’s Centres of Industrial Collaboration (CICs).  The CICs are commercially focused stand-alone organisations connected to the universities in the region.  They work with the private sector to find commercial solutions, using academic research, facilities and knowledge transfer. 

Some of the most successful recent collaborations will be featured in presentations and pitches throughout the day.  Visitors will be asked to cast their votes for the prize winning pitch, as the CICs will be the focus of an award dinner to be held at the museum, in the evening.

Chair of Yorkshire Science, Richard Gregory, will be one of the members of the Science Council taking part in a debate entitled “Inspiring the Next Generation of Regional Innovators”. Barry Dodd, Chairman of GSM Group will be taking part along with Mike Roberts, Chief Executive of the Central Science Laboratory and Prof David Drewry, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull, will discuss how to nurture the next Sir Richard Branson or Jonathan Ive, with Trevor Gregory acting as moderator.

One-to-one advisory sessions will be available with the R&D Awards Team to discuss potential project submissions to the Grant for Research and Development.  Other events include a Q&A session with a panel of nanotechnology experts, legal experts and end user companies.  Visitors will also have an opportunity to win a Manufacturing Improvement Project to the value of £6,000, funded by the Manufacturing Advisory Service.

Star attraction will be the Virtual Paragliding Project, a successful collaboration between Northern Paragliding and the University of Hull’s Computer Science Department, facilitated by Knowledge RICH.  Knowledge Rich is a free business enquiry service that connects companies with a technical query to the network of experts in the region’s universities, to find a solution.

Visitors and adrenalin junkies are invited to have a go in the virtual paragliding simulator.  The simulator allows pilots to amass airtime in a completely safe environment.  Dr Chapman and his team from Hull University have created a realistic visual simulator landscape.  With extremely accurate controls and responses, trainee pilots can navigate thermals, interact with other air traffic to practice collision avoidance and improve skills and competency without ever leaving the ground.

To register go to events@yorkshire-forward.com of visit the website at www.yorkshire-forward.com.

Out and About with Yorkshire Science

Now that the Regional Innovation Strategy has been endorsed by the board of Yorkshire Forward, the Yorkshire Science team is increasing its efforts to raise the profile of innovation.

The members of the Science and Innovation Council are actively promoting a culture of innovation and encouraging businesses and stakeholders to embrace this philosophy.  Here is an update of some of our recent activities.

Driving Higher Level Skills Conference

Richard Gregory OBE, Chair of Yorkshire Science recently delivered the Keynote speech at the ‘Driving Higher Level Skills’ conference, held at the National Science Learning Centre, York University.

The event, run by Yorkshire Forward and Yorkshire Universities, explored how higher level skills can underpin innovation.  The one-day conference was well received by an audience of senior managers, policy makers and practitioners in FEs and HEs, Sector Skills Councils and employers.

In an impassioned speech, Mr Gregory illustrated the direct correlation between the level of skills and the level of innovation created.  He explained that the region had to learn to build upon its strength to create critical mass of talent, resources and expertise, to become sustainable and competitive for the future.  He said that the Yorkshire region possessed a healthy reputation for collaboration and strong networks and that this established a positive foundation for the way forward.

Creative Innovative Engineering Businesses

Yorkshire Science member and Chairman of GSM Group, Mr Barry Dodd was invited to speak at the strategic meeting on ‘Methods to Enhance Innovation in Business’ in December, held at the Leeds University Business School.

The event, supported by Yorkshire Forward and the University of Leeds – was part of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Regional Innovation seminars.  The seminar explained how to better connect businesses and the region’s universities with a view to developing new opportunities and competitive growth through collaboration.

Mr Dodd opened the session with a review of the current status, future aspirations and major leading strengths and capabilities of the Yorkshire and Humber region.  Stuart Moran, Technical Director of Surgical Innovations, spoke about the value of collaboration and Alison Fielding, Director of Technology Transfer, IP Group PLC, used three new successful business start ups as case studies about knowledge transfer from the region’s universities.   Steven Wilson, Project Director of White Rose Health Innovation Project, gave a presentation about sustaining innovation in a global market place.

Participants were able to meet regional and national innovation policy makers, and learn about ways to tap into commercial value offered to companies through the region’s universities.

Yorkshire Business Insider Magazine – January 2007 Round Table

Yorkshire Science sponsored a round table event for the January edition of the Yorkshire Business Insider magazine.  The topic up for discussions was, of course, innovation.  More specifically, however, it was about barriers to businesses to become more innovative, and also the question ‘what is innovation’.

A lively debate ensued and Yorkshire Science was very pleased to have representation from public, private and academic spokespeople.  Also adding to the discussion were representatives from investment, finance, NGOs and incubation centres, which are important elements identified for the future success and delivery of an ‘innovation culture’ for the region.

Whilst there was a strong focus upon knowledge transfer and research and development from universities, Yorkshire Science Director, Mr Trevor Gregory was keen to point out that they were not the only source of innovation.

Equally, much of the debate centred on a definition of innovation. Education and nurturing creativity in our young people, were seen as vital for creating the right climate for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Please feel free to see the whole debate in the latest edition of the magazine or via our website on www.yorkshire-science.com.

New Website

We are pleased to announce our new look website which came online in November.  Designed by Leeds based New Media Collective, it features our latest news, event and resource details as well as useful links to other innovation and knowledge transfer sites.

In keeping with the spirit of ‘innovation’ the website includes video case studies of businesses in the region and pod casts from some of the events we have recently attended.  You can also use our website to access information about events in the Yorkshire region and activities with an innovation/R&D focus taking place in Britain and Europe.

Innovation Case Studies

Myfotowall

In our continuing series we look at innovative companies within the Yorkshire and Humber region.  We take a closer look at our category winner of the Yorkshire Post Business Excellence Awards ‘Myfotowall’.  We also speak to Director of Spectra Tools, Mr Ian Haywood about how his successful collaboration with the University of Hull lead to the development of a range of new products.

Myfotowall is an innovative website that allows customers to design and create bespoke wallpaper from a digital image of their choice.  The Myfotowall website takes three simples steps.  Firstly, type in the dimension of the wall to cover.  Then personal content is uploaded or customers can choose from images available in the gallery which are resized accordingly.  Finally, place an order for the bespoke image and it is ready to go into production.

Steven Armitage, MD of Myfotowall, explains the evolution of the company.

“We formed in 2003 and at the time, we didn’t know if the concept would work in reality so we did some research in early 2003 looking at printing techniques.  We looked at how we can take an image that was never intended to be resized and resize it without losing quality.  This brought us to the idea of creating a website so that everyone could access it at any time of the day in any part of the world, we then developed that into a prototype.

“That prototype took us really to the middle of 2004 when we’d solved the problem with the printing technique, created the right resolution image and got the packaging etc absolutely perfect.  We then went to the first tradeshow with this product in 2004 at the ‘100% Design Show’ and got an absolutely fantastic reception from the designers and creatives. That gave us the confidence to then go to 2005 and develop some really strategic relationships.

“One of the problems with any innovative product or any new company is being seen above the parapet and getting noticed. The word “Myfotowall” meant nothing to anybody so by associating ourselves with higher profile companies like Bentley and Ikea and other such companies it allowed us to get by association a higher profile.

“Certainly in bringing an innovative product to the market there is lots of R&D to undertake and part of the R&D process is to try and make this product commercial.  I think it was absolutely vital in the early days at Myfotowall to seek independent advice from people that knew how to get to a particular market, or knew how to develop a product.

“Without a doubt, credit goes to West Yorkshire Ventures in the first instance, they were very keen to help us out and helped sort out some legal documentation that was very important for the website. We also needed to seek some additional advice from an accountancy firm and we were able to use Grant Thornton, one of the top four accountancy practices in the UK, in order that we could really work the financials to the bone.

“The next stage for Myfotowall was to seek some investment so it was absolutely critical that we had a rock solid business plan that we were happy with and we could present well. We also were very lucky, via the help of Grant Thornton, to have a link into Barclays Bank where we secured a small firms loan. Barclays were very, very supportive and in that respect helped us get onto the next rung of our business plan without too much delay.

“Once we’d completed the business plan, Grant Thornton advised us that, from their point of view and experience, we’d actually ended up with a very, very good business plan and felt that we ought to perhaps take advantage of the learning curve to do presentations by entering something called Venturefest.

“Venturefest is almost like ‘Dragons Den’ in that you present a business plan proposition.  There was a panel of senior judges, you were on a podium with your own presentation technique and you had an audience to watch you.  We were competing with ten companies at the same event.  Judges assessed who they felt had offered the best presentation, the best product and the best real innovative product to take to the market.  We were very fortunate in winning that particular prize in 2006.

“The good thing about that wasn’t just winning it; it was actually everything that surrounded it thereafter because again, it upped the profile of Myfotowall. We had a lot of additional advisors seeking us out because we’d won; we had lots of solicitors, accountants, investors etc. Winning an award like Venturefest really made it for us.

“I think that one of the important lessons that we learned was that although we are innovative in terms of bringing a new product to the market, we’re certainly not and never will be the first and only company doing so.  It was very important as part of this advice structure that you got comfort from the fact that you weren’t on your own and that people had gone through exactly what we’re going through.

“We weren’t the first company to ask those questions so the answers are there so rather than reinventing the wheel, it is important to think that routes to market and advice on Marketing and PR, are pretty well established and you’ve got to seek out that advice.”

Spectra

Innovation isn’t just about creating brand new products and processes.  It can also be applied to great effect, to quite traditional methods.  Sometimes a very simple change in design, can have a great impact, as is the case with Ian Haywood, whose own design for improvements in the building trade lead to a completely new career.

Mr Haywood is the Director of Spectra Tools, based in Beverley, Near Hull.  He now has his own company helping other people get their products and ideas to the market place.  He offers assistance with design and development, and market research, working closely with the Design and Enterprise Centre at the University of Hull. 

“Throughout my time in the building trade I would come across problems and try to find a solution. I had to cut a lot of brick sets for drives and paths, in the traditional way using a hammer and ball stencil.

“I thought there must be an easier way of cutting the blocks and I had the idea of a guillotine method with a blade on the bottom and a blade on the top. A friend made up a prototype and when it worked I thought ‘where do I go from here?’

“Wanting to see it on the shelves of B&Q and Homebase I did the wrong thing, travelling up and down the country, spending a lot of my time, money and effort, meeting lots of companies saying, ‘yeah come along and give us £4000 and we’ll help you develop it.’  I was basically running around in circles and so really what I needed was help and guidance.

“Business Link pointed me in the right direction – they actually arranged for a film shoot where they produced a video - which I was able to use later and promote the Brick Cutter. They also introduced me to the University, who helped me with the actual design of the Brick Cutter.  They looked at reducing it in size, which in turn, would lower the cost base for materials and again the processes of manufacture.

“They reduced packaging and everything to its minimum but with maximum effect. Some of the benefits of having the link to the universities is that you can trust them 100%, plus, they were close at hand if I needed any alterations or anything I could just get on the phone or just call in and see them.

“I was fortunate in a sense that I had a colleague who introduced me to Nick Swash who is the managing director of Spectra Tools. I was also able to show Nick the video that I’d had made with Business Link, he saw the products, our potential, that there was nothing like it on the market not as lightweight and as effective – Nick also looked very closely at the packaging and the marketing side.

“One of the products that Hull University helped me with was the Brick Levelling gauge when I was introduced to Nick Swash at Spectra, we came up with this packaging which we thought was very good but from there we tried to improve the packaging even further and came up with a more accessible design from the point of view that people can come along and have a play with it and see how it actually worked. Having invented the brick cutter, it took me approximately 8 years to go through the process to get that Brick Cutter on the shelf.

“My advice to any other inventors would be, keep your feet firmly on the ground, to not travel around the country like I did but to use the local resources like your Business Links, your university.  Do a bit of research because when you take a product somewhere theylike to see that you have done a bit of research.  You can spend a lot of time and effort producing something that’s already been done. Don’t think you’re going to be a millionaire overnight because it just doesn’t happen. I found that as long as you enjoy it, it’s a fantastic feeling when you see your product on the shelf.  The end result is even better when people are buying it!”