Introduction to Academia 4 Industry (A4B) Ali Parker, January 22 nd 2008

Agenda  Introduction to A4B  Schemes  Process Involved  How DRI can help?  Welsh Assembly Strategic Policy – Mr Richard Rossington  Q & A

What is Knowledge Transfer? ‘The systems and processes by which knowledge, including technology, know how, expertise and skills are transferred from one party to another, leading to………..’ Economic ProfitableSocial Innovative

A4B Summary “ strengthening and maximising the capabilities of HE and where appropriate, FE institutions to support businesses through knowledge transfer, and the commercialisation of research and encouraging the development of innovative technologies” KEF / CETICS/ Know How Wales / Accelerate Clusters KEF, CETICS, Know How Wales, Accelerate Clusters A 4 B

A4B Details  6 year project – c £63.5million funded by WAG & Convergence  Geared to: 1. Stimulate new business ideas and help launch as least sixty new products and processes onto the market; 2. Act as a catalyst to leverage in an additional £9m of funding into research projects and support more than 120 R&D collaborations; 3. Help at least 2000 businesses to benefit from collaborating and working with universities.

A4B Aims Fund audits of Intellectual Property held by academic institutions to pinpoint projects with the best potential for commercialisation; Evaluate potential projects of strategic value to Wales Fill the funding gap between basic early research and the start of the market exploitation Provide revenue funding for commercial managers & technology specialists Provide capital funding to invest in new technology / markets Encourage collaborative industrial research

A4B Schemes  Early Stage Development Fund  Patent and Proof of Concept Fund  Collaborative Industrial Research Projects (CIRPs)  Knowledge Transfer Centres (KTC)  Innovative Actions - new  Knowledge Exchange  KTP Pilot  CPD  KTC Accreditation

Scheme 1: Knowledge Exploitation Capacity Development Aim: To provide support to academic institutions to strengthen their capability to exploit their knowledge in partnership with companies in the Convergence area  Grants for commercialization development – proof of concept, feasibility studies, CPD, IP  Support for knowledge exchange development – events, KT Clusters, KT portal

Scheme 2: Knowledge Transfer & Collaborative Industrial Research Aim: To enhance and accelerate the transfer of knowledge and the development of innovative technologies from HE institutions to businesses in the convergence area  Grants – revenue (staff) and capital, promotion of WAG centres, collaborative industrial research grants  Ensuring the quality of knowledge transfer & innovation services – best practice and support, Kite marks and accreditation of WAG funded centres, review and assessment

A4B Performance Indicators  Seminars  Demonstrations  Scoping Discussions  Diagnostic Interviews  Projects Identified  Network Meetings Keep evidence of all of these

A4B Outputs and results Outputs  Enterprises assisted  Collaborative R&D  Innovation and R&D facilities developed Results  Jobs created  Patents, Licenses, copyright or design rights registered  High tech companies created  New or improved products or services launched  £m private sector investment induced E V I D E N C E

Warning!!!! ERDF rules apply Evidence is required for all performance indicators, outputs, results to be reported quarterly!!!!!!! Read Annex 5 on all guidance notes for further details

PPOC Stage 1 – Evaluation - Early Stage Development Fund; £9k. Feasibility - £3k IP Review - £3k Technical review - £3k Funds are managed internally through the University DRI, ideas to be presented to UWS Ventures Results from ESDF feed into the full PPOC Stage 2 – Technical Development - PPOC Staff (e.g. technical officers) Consumables (lab, office) Travel (not conferences)

PPOC – The Bottom Line…  £50,000 max  12 months max  No capital funding  No overheads  Staff Timesheets  ERDF Rules Apply…100%!  Patentable idea…novelty  Route to market/Commercialisation Plan  Clear benefit to the Welsh economy  State Aid – No “special” relationships; full market rates must apply.  Technical/IPR/Commercial Feasibility

PPOC Application Process  Demanding  Thorough evaluation and assessment  External verification  Support from WAG  16 weeks application  4 calls a year – March, June, Oct, Dec

Feasibility Study  Applicants must be full time members of staff at a HEI  Technology/Knowledge transfer  Not a technical feasibility  Seminars  Reports – including final submission  SMART objectives

Feasibility Study – The Bottom Line…  £20,000 max  3-4 months max  No matched funding required o capital funding  Contract services  No overheads  Staff Timesheets  ERDF Rules Apply…100%!  Market application  Clear benefit to the Welsh economy

Feasibility Study Application Process  Rolling call  Internal A4B panel  Fast turnaround between 4 -8 weeks  Plan for follow-up  New product development  Pre-cursor to KTC/CIRP proposal??  Advise looking at pan Wales and involving other HEIs where possible

CIRP  Collaborative project with at least 2 Welsh companies  Strategic importance to Wales and economic impact  Clear project plan  Collaboration with other HEIs encouraged  Public sector partners permitted as part of the consortium  Can use additional non Welsh partners  Collaboration agreement – essential – discuss early on

CIRP – The Bottom Line…  £300,000 max  36 months max  ‘in kind match funding advised’ – provide letters of support  Small amounts of capital funding (circa £40k) – make the case for it  No overheads  Staff Timesheets  ERDF Rules Apply…100%!  Novelty and market application  Partner contributions – intellectual and financial  Commercialisation Plan – think about exploitation of results  Clear benefit to the Welsh economy  State Aid – No “special” relationships; full market rates must apply.  Technical/Innovation/Cost Effectiveness

CIRP Application Process  2 stage process – submit ROI first, then full application  Coherent  Define Partner Contributions – letters of support  Support from WAG  Thorough evaluation and assessment – DSTL for over applications over £150k  Current applications are taking between 16 and 20 weeks  4 panels a year – March, June, Oct, Dec

Knowledge Transfer Centres Evidence of existing KT infrastructure Industrial liaison personnel – its like a club! Track record of KT/industrial interaction To address market failure Plan for sustainability / mainstreaming Provide advice on R&D Events, Workshops, Scoping etc Collaborative projects – aim to kick start with 6 initially

KTC – The Bottom Line…  No upper limit on funding – although recommend keeping below £1m  36 months max  No matched funding required  Capital and revenue funding permitted – fully justified  No overheads  Staff Timesheets expected  ERDF Rules Apply…100%!  Clear benefit to the Welsh economy  State Aid – No “special” relationships; full market rates must apply  Must kick start KTC with clear projects

KTC Application Process  Operational plan  Added value  Capital equipment  Support, advice from WAG  Identify clear outputs / targets  Linked to WAG economic strategy  Calls open March, June, Oct, Dec  Application process takes circa 16 – 20 weeks

 For identifying ways to make KT more successful - Networks - Clusters - Focus Groups - themed  For increasing R&D and research base in Wales  For help in development and exploitation of research  To encourage collaborative relationships with academics and industry Knowledge Exchange Projects

Knowledge Exchange Projects – the bottom line  £60k each year  2 years max  100% eligible cots for HEI  ERDF rules apply  Monitoring, auditing, quarterly reviews  Opportunities around ideas for KE!  Common problems and shared with HEIs – make for stronger bids!

Innovative Action  New call open in March 2009 for proposals that don’t with other A4B criteria.  DRI will update on website

WAG Task And Finish Groups  CPD for Knowledge Transfer - Results to be managed through DRI  Web Portal for KT  Accreditation for KTC  IP commercialisation

Application Process AcademicBusiness Idea Generation Funding Advice & Recommendation Funding Support If RC – then speak to Chris Beynon or Adrian Walters in DRI Funding Advice Application Writing Application Submission DRI Academic DRI WAG Business Feedback WAGDRIAcademic

Estimated Timescales of Application Process Initial Meeting (Academic, DRI, WAG, Business) DRI Review WAG Review External Review (HEFCEW, DSTL, WEFO) Final Submit Panel Time Passed PPOC1 weeks1 week 4 weeks UK Intellectual Property Office n/a2 weeksn/a 8 weeks Feasibility Study 1 week 4 weeksn/a2 weekn/a 8 weeks KTC1 week2 weeks4 weeks4-6 weeks2 weeks 16 weeks CIRP1 week2 weeks4 weeks4-6 weeks2 weeks 16 weeks

What Can DRI do to help?  Funding and application advise – review and panel  Facilitation of meetings internal and external  Application process management – forms, guidance notes  Check business finances – due diligence  Set up collaborative agreements  Network  Marketing, PR and events  Identify collaborative partners

General Advice  Read guidance notes  Be market driven – what is the ECONOMIC IMPACT!  Find out what other HEIs are doing – avoid duplication  Don’t overestimate outputs / results – these are measured!  Don’t front load as far as targets, costs etc  For projects over £500k – look at risk register  Be succinct – the right amount of detail  Get support from Head of School – uniqueness  Get commitment from business  Involve the business in helping to write the application  Seek best practice advise through DRI / WAG early on  What A4B is not about – EDUCATION, TRAINING, SKILLS

Conclusions  Not easy money  Due diligence  Commercial  Environmental Issues  Long term view  Awareness of IP Issues

Useful contacts University A4B funding - Ali Parker: tel Contracts Advice - Dan Flanagan: tel: WAG Area Advisor - Dr. Richard Griffiths: tel KTC Advice - Julie Cunnington Hill: tel Julie.Cunnington-