Welsh Industrial Liaison Officers (WILO) Meeting
Virginia Chambers
10th June 2010
Updates
- Welsh Assembly Government / UK Government- Reviews- Economic Renewal Programme- A4B- Business Innovation- Enterprise Europe Network
Welsh Assembly Government
• New First Minister• Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation & Skills (DM – SIS)
- Lesley Griffiths
- deputy to Ieuan Wyn Jones
• New Chief Science Advisor
- Professor John Harries
- advise Ministers
- Links to Whitehall
ca £180m budget cuts for Wales announced by UK Government
Some Key Ministers in Dept for Business Innovation & Skills
– Vince Cable – Secretary of State (BIS)
– David Willetts – Universities & Science
– John Hayes – FE, Skills & Lifelong Learning
– Mark Prisk – Business & Enterprise
Reviews underway
• Ministerial Advisory Group
- R&D & Commercialisation
- due to publish July 2010
• Deputy Minister – Science Innovation & Skills
- External Funding of R&D
• Cabinet debate on R&D and Commercialisation
Economic Renewal Programme (ERP)
• Commissioned by Deputy First Minister
• Driven by downturn and post recession economy
• Widespread consultation on business support and economic development
• Consultation ended 11th May
• Report due 28th June
7
Early indications...
Programme is still in analysis phase….• Issues raised in particular around:
– planning; – procurement; and – regulation.
• Investment needed in: – 21st Century infrastructure; – skills.
• Alignment of wider policies seen as a higher priority than direct business support and a prerequisite for economic development.
• Access to finance still an issue – mixed response on role of grants.
• Role of government needs to be properly considered.
A4B
• 7 projects totalling £2.6m approved (subject to contract) at last panel
• A4B has now supported 204 projects total grant £25m
• Challenge is to deliver against these projects
A4BObservations from A4B Managers
• WAG budgets cannot be carried over
• Need better profiling of budgets taking into account– Staff recruitment– Procurement
• Outputs need to be recorded on IPM especially investment induced
• CPD currently only for Convergence Area because of budget pressures
A4B Reminder
• 2 New Calls for proposals
1. Large Application Development Projects (L-ADP)- pilot to replace Proof of Concept- for projects with potential to generate significant income- projects up to £150k over 18 months- can support up to 6 projects- closing date 19th July- contact Terry Stubbs
A4B Reminder
2. Thematic Knowledge Exchange Projects
- Assisted Living
- Low Carbon Economy
- Lead institutions in Convergence area (partners in other areas can be included)
- up to 9 projects can be supported
- closing date 18th June
- contact Gareth Wilson
A4B Portal
• Expertise Wales• First stage development completed• Promote portal to staff / data input• Need institutions agreement to include data on
centres of expertise (only 2 responses to date)• Expect to launch July 2010• Support available from WAG
** See information sheet
KTP
• Expression of Interest form for classic KTP replaces outline proposal forms
• New template available through KTP portal
• Slight increase in classic KTP – need more good applications
• sKTP – now 36% UK total
Business Innovation
• £35m EU project
• Design, IP and Manufacturing advisory services
• Innovation Managers
• Includes “Innovation Vouchers”- Up to £10k available to businesses- to buy expertise from academia or support bodies
• Please promote to your clients
Enterprise Europe Network
• Awareness Event planned (tbc)– EcoInnovation– Environment FP7– TSB Low Impact Buildings
• Managing FP7 projects training course (Autumn)
• Travel and consultancy budget for FP7 and TSB still available
• Consultation on FP8 (July-October)contact – Lisa Wheatley
Dates for your Diary
18th June Closing date A4B KEP
June/July Awareness Day
- EcoInnovation tbc
- FP7 Environment
- TSB Low Impact Buildings
23rd June UKIPO event – Cardiff City Stadium
29th June UKIPO event – St Asaph
12th-16th July E-Crime Summit – Celtic Manor
19th July Closing date L-ADP
July/October Consultation on FP8 tbc
Autumn Managing FP7 tbc
projects (EEN)
Thanks for your support over the years and best wishes
for the future