Technology Strategy Board Grants
Today, Jason Velody and I went to a Technology Strategy Board event to learn how to apply for some of the new grants that they are making available in the digital space.
We began with an excellent(!) ‘Key Note’ speech given by Bill Thompson – Bill being the early adopter that he is gave us a presentation using the newly released iPAD – as with all technology the first 15 minutes of the presentation started without this device until the various members of the technical support team had got it working with the old school technology.
It was good to catch up with Bill – as we have not see each other since Net Media days.
http://www.thebillblog.com/billblog/
So what does the Technology Strategy Board do?
On 8 May 2008 they launched their Strategic Plan: “Connect and Catalyse – a strategy for business innovation.”
The plan sets out their focus over the next three years as well as provide a longer term perspective.
TSB want to make the UK a global leader in innovation. To do so TSB need ensure the UK is a place where:
- business is successfully competing at the forefront of technology and innovation developments globally;
- Government provides a supportive and coherent environment which allows innovation to thrive;
- society understands, embraces, values and is excited by innovation and technology.
The Strategic Plan explains the journey TSB will take to reach the destination of the UK becoming a global leader in innovation and how TSB will work to ensure UK business success by:
- providing leadership;
- working with different parts of Government to simplify and connect the innovation landscape;
- ensuring the UK has the necessary capability in underpinning technologies;
- addressing major challenges to create new business opportunities;
- investing in people, networks and creating a culture supportive of innovation.
To do all of this, the Technology Strategy Board has a budget for 2008-2011 of £711 million plus aligned funding from the Regional Development Agencies of £180 million and at least £120 million from the Research Councils.
TSB will also continue to work with Government Departments and the Devolved Administrations further increasing the funding from those organisations aligned with our strategy.
With over £1 billion to invest over 3 years TSB have the opportunity to start to make a difference in changing the innovation environment in the UK.
Here’s one way you can access monies via: Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are a UK-wide programme enabling businesses to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance.
A KTP achieves this through the forming of a Partnership between your business and an academic institution (such as university, further education college or research and technology organisation), enabling you to access skills and expertise to help your business develop.
The knowledge sought is embedded into the business from the knowledge base through a project, or projects, undertaken by a recently qualified person (known as the Associate), recruited to specifically work on that project. KTPs can vary in length from 1 to 3 years (classic KTP) and from 10-40 weeks (shorter KTP), depending on the needs of the business and the desired outcomes.
KTP enables new capability to be embedded into the business and has benefited and continues to benefit a wide range of businesses across many sectors, including micro sized, small and large businesses, third sector organisations or public.
Tel: 0870 190 2829
