08 MAR 2013
A multi-million pound package of support for innovative UK businesses has been launched by Universities and Science Minister David Willetts at this year'sInnovate UK.
The Biomedical Catalyst which is run by the Technology Strategy Board and Medical Research Council (MRC) with a £180 million budget, will fund a further 51 businesses with a value of £47.2 million. The investment will be used by companies to help them bridge the so callled 'valley of death', by carrying out research and development across the biomedical industries and taking new products to market.
The latest investment means that through rounds one and two of the Catalyst, £96 million has been invested in 115 companies.
The Minister also announced £12 million of support for innovative businesses funded through the Technology Strategy Board including:
- The launch of a £3.7 million competition for feasibility studies in Photonics for Health. The competition will provide awards of around £100,000 to businesses looking to exploit this area of technology that includes the use of lasers and LED's for things such as laser eye surgery and cancer diagnosis.
- Results of a £1.25 million competition for nine businesses to develop their feasibility studies for energy efficient computing. The projects will develop new and innovative ways in which computers and electronic devices can consume less energy.
- Results of a £1.15 million competition for ten businesses to developfeasibility studies for energy harvesting. The projects will allow companies to explore ways in which the life of batteries can be extended or remove the need for batteries altogether.
- Results of a £6.2 million competition for the Internet of things. Eight business-led projects will develop smart applications across areas such as transport, energy and the built environment. The projects will look at all the technology around us that we use in everyday life that could be connected.
The announcement of the winners for round two of the Biomedical Catalyst has been made alongside a report published by the Bio-Industries Associations (BIA). The report highlights the positive impact that the Catalyst has so far had on the industry in the UK.
One of the successes includes Glide Pharma, a pharmaceutical development and device company based in Abingdon. They received an early stage award of £2.3 million through the Catalyst and were able to secure an additional £14 million in private investment. They are working to produce products for the treatment of osteoporosis and are using the fund to help progress their ideas through clinical testing and develop manufacturing processes.