NanoKTN and IoN Confirm Success of UK Nanotechnology Mission to America

The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), one of the UK’s primary knowledge-based networks for Micro and Nanotechnologies, and the Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN), a professional membership organisation for the nanotechnology industry, are pleased to announce the success of the 2010 International NanoMicroClub (INMC) NanoMission to America. The mission, supported by Technology Strategy Board funding, was established to support UK nanotechnology SMEs in international business development.

The US is the largest market for biopharma, both in terms of the number of companies that the UK could partner with but also with regards to market size. In 2008 alone, the US has spent $2.3trillion on healthcare. To ensure the UK took advantage of the business potential in the US, the INMC organised a mission in September 2010, to BioPharm America™ and to visit various companies in Boston.

The UK mission team comprised BHR Group, Point-2-Point Genomics, Nanomerics, Conformetrix and EuropaRx. During the mission, they met with a number of organisations from Boston and the surrounding area, leading to five NDAs being signed. Despite business development being a long process, a number of potential opportunities for business and funding are already being explored, and the feedback from the mission delegates has been very positive.

NanoKTN to Look at Impact of Nanomaterials on Man and the Environment

14th September, 2011 – Begbroke Science Park, Yarnton, Oxford

The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), one of the UK’s primary knowledge-based networks for Micro and Nanotechnologies, is pleased to announce an event to review the possible effects of nanomaterials on man and the environment. The one-day seminar will examine the complex issues surrounding recent advances in the measurement and characterisation of nanomaterials throughout the whole product cycle.

By hosting this event, the NanoKTN aims to bring experts in standards, occupational health, toxicity and ecotoxicity, together with equipment producers and providers of analytical facilities. Networking sessions will provide a forum where experts can discuss the advances and issues in this field, meet and explore business and research opportunities with others, and evaluate testing methods and manufacturing processes. There will also be an opportunity for delegates to see first-hand the capabilities of new technologies in the nanoscale world through a stimulating and exciting exhibition.

Cutting costs in IT Security is a bad policy

By Robert May, Managing Director of ramsac (www.ramsac.com)

Business IT security is a perennially favourite topic of discussion. From SMEs to multi-national corporations (and even in government circles), the security of IT systems is much discussed and yet there is a feeling that maybe it is not always given the consideration it deserves. At a recent conference, CompTIA CEO Todd Thibodeaux suggested that it would be sensible to allocate 10% of a company’s IT budget to providing security, and yet the evidence suggests that in reality this is often not the case. For example, a Gartner survey recently found that the industry average spend on IT security is only about five percent. Perhaps even more startling is a report by the Ponemon Institute, Cenzic and Barracuda Networks which found that 88% of companies surveyed indicate they spend more on coffee than they do on securing Web applications!

NanoKTN and IoN secure £100K for UK Nanotechnology SMEs at recent Japanese Mission

The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), one of the UK’s primary knowledge-based networks for Micro and Nanotechnologies, and the Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN), a professional membership organisation for the nanotechnology industry, are pleased to announce that the International NanoMicroClub (INMC) NanoMission to Japan has so far secured new contracts and sales worth £100K for attending UK SMEs.

The mission, supported by the Technology Strategy Board funding, was established to help raise the profile of UK nanotechnology and give UK nanotechnology SMEs the opportunity to drive international business development. The UK mission team comprised BHR Group, Bio Nano Consulting Ltd, Promethean Particles, Mantis Deposition, Mode Diagnostics Ltd, Izon Scientific Ltd, Nanoco, Engrid Consulting, and Oxford Advanced Surfaces.

NanoKTN Helps UK Nanotechnology SME Grow To Industry Leader

The NanoKTN is pleased to announce that on-going support from its staff and events has helped a UK SME to secure business leads and forge relationships with key collaborative partners. As a result, scientific engineering company Plarion has grown to become a leading manufacturer in its field.

When UK-based Plasmon went into administration in 2008, a team of engineers with years of experience in the field established Plarion, which recently announced the development of its Discipher diagnostic solution. The low-cost, walkaway system is based on a DVD drive and DVD discs with microfluidic channels for rapid biochemical analysis. The on-board reagent storage and sample preparation, along with automated analysis software, offers significant time advantage through minimal user interaction, allowing a large number of tests to be done at the same time.

Plarion’s Systems Development Manager Jackie Cole has been directly involved with the NanoKTN since the company’s launch in 2009, attending events as an exhibitor, delegate and presenter. Actively engaging as a member of the NanoKTN has provided Plarion with vital intelligence about R&D facilities and services available in the UK, as well as providing opportunities to identify possible collaborative partners with specific expertise.

Two steps forward and a quick look back

It has been a busy week of looking forward here at MCC International with a big new client win that we cannot wait to start working with bright and early on Monday morning and securing a regular monthly column for one of our clients in their key publication. In other news, we have been busy putting together a very exciting new business proposal for a really interesting technology, so all fingers are tightly crossed for the go ahead soon.

On Tuesday, Agency Director, Graham Thatcher, attended his first (well first official!) CIPR committee meeting in Southampton and was delighted to hear that the Wessex region certainly has a thriving PR community. The CIPR is putting on a lot of events between now and the end of the year that will be ‘must attends’ for PR professional is the area.

Whilst some of us have been looking forward, others have been taking a peek in to MCC’s past, recalling our launch of Segway in to the UK market way back in 2005. In fact, they have been dusting off the two-wheeled transporter that many visitors to Winchester House have admired in our reception, with Simon modelling it for our Twitter profile, take a look at: www.twitter.com/mcc_int.

NanoKTN Awards Additional EPSRC Studentships for Innovative Research Projects

The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), one of the UK’s primary knowledge-based networks for Micro and Nanotechnologies, is pleased to announce that after initially awarding three EPSRC studentships in May 2011, it has allocated an additional three Awards to exceptional projects at the Universities of Birmingham, Oxford and Sheffield. The research projects will focus on polymer based dye-sensitized solar cells, additives to improve the adhesion and performance of inks, and anti-microbial agents in nano-hydroxyapatite coatings for titanium implants.

The NanoKTN had an exceptionally high number of applications this year, all of which were of a very high standard. The NanoKTN therefore highlighted these projects to the EPSRC for consideration and funds became available recently which enabled the NanoKTN to award 3 additional studentships.

The Future of PR

On Monday afternoon I had the privilege of taking part in The Future of PR debate, hosted by Bournemouth University (an institution with a well deserved reputation for churning out high calibre PR graduates), as part of an ongoing CIPR initiative.

For the seven of us sat around the table - a mix of senior in-house, agency and academia - it was like being back in the classroom.

Fuelled with a lot of coffee, as every PR person I know tends to be, we enthusiastically took part in a two-and-a-half-hour scenario planning exercise, where we considered what PR practise would likely look like in the year 2020, along with our hopes and fears.

Of course, placing a group of PR people in a room together and asking them for their opinion it never going to be difficult to get a debate raging and sure enough we were soon tackling issues of diversity, career progression, respect, evaluation, use of research and the broader public perception of our profession as a whole and the need for positive role models and advocates of good PR.

Undoubtedly, one of the most hotly contested topics was whether PR will still be known as PR in the next 10 years. Some could envisage it becoming absorbed under a broader integrated marketing communications banner, driven in part by the calls for new and emerging digital channels to be ‘owned’ by the PR function. Meanwhile, others could see a clear split emerging between those delivering high-level strategy becoming branded as Management Consultants, and the more tactical end adopting the moniker of Publicist.

One area of unanimous agreement was the fact that whatever it is called the need for PR is here to stay. There are many great PR practitioners doing a lot of great work and it is the responsibility of those of us who have chosen this as our career path, whether in-house, agency or those educating the next cohort of PR undergraduates, to continually promote best practise and extol the benefits of our profession.

Author: Graham Thatcher

The Nanotechnology Mini-Innovation and Growth Team (Mini-IGT) Announces Skills Report

The Nanotechnology Mini-Innovation and Growth Team (Mini-IGT) is pleased to announce the availability of a report following the ‘UK Manufacturing needs nanotechnology – Closing the Skills Gap’ event that was held on the 11th May 2011. The Nanotechnology Mini-IGT Secretariat prepared the report and sent it to Rt Hon David Willetts MP.

The report provides supporting information and detailed proposals based on the evidence from an industry survey and conclusions from the event. The report also summarises the issues, recommendations and the responsible departments for ensuring appropriate skills are available in support of the growth of the UK’s manufacturing industries.

The survey and event identified a number of key issues articulated in this report including recommendations on how to tackle the current gap in the provision of appropriate skills and the responsible departments for ensuring these skills are available.

ramsac adds Apple support to its suite of IT services

IT specialist offers all-round, multi-platform support for business technology needs

Leading IT solutions consultancy ramsac has launched a dedicated Apple business unit and been accredited by the Apple Consultants Network. Combined with nearly 20 years’ of providing PC support, and as a Microsoft Gold Partner and Citrix Silver Partner, ramsac now offers clients full business IT support and expertise across the major IT platforms to provide a comprehensive package of support from one supplier.