Abstract

Recent announcements by the UK Government and EU Commission could help transform the funding environment for small science and technology based businesses, so we will hear from two Cambridge members who have been involved in bringing this change about.

The first of our speakers is David Connell, University of Cambridge. David Connell has spent 25 years in the technology and venture capital industries, including as cofounder and Chief Executive of TTP Ventures. The UK Small Business Research Initiative, based on a successful US programme, is largely the result of a campaign he initiated in 2004 with Anne Campbell, then MP for Cambridge. Unlike more traditional UK grants programmes, this provides 100% funding for developments linked to the needs of public sector customers. George Osborne announced that funding for SBRI would be increased from £20m to £200m per annum in this year’s budget. As a result of lobbying at European level, a broadly similar €7 billion EC programme will be launched in 2014. Today David is Chairman of Archipelago Technology and a Senior Research Fellow at the UK Innovation Research Centre at Cambridge University.

Following David will be Karen Livingstone from the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Karen is Director of Partnerships and Industry engagement for the Eastern Academic Health Science Network and the National Director for SBRI Healthcare. She is supporting the Network to develop its role in economic development and wealth creation. Karen also leads the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) for NHS England where small enterprises are funded to develop technology solutions for healthcare problems and supports the work of the Innovations team in their relationships with industry. 

To book: If you would like to attend this event please go to http://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/events/david-connell-university-of-cambridge/