24 steps to a successful start up

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

We recently attended the PraxisUnico conference where Bill Aulet from MIT gave a presentation on “The coming crisis in entrepreneurship education and what to do about it”.

Entrepreneurship is exploding globally and many people believe that this is something that cannot be taught and those that are successful are born with the skills for it. Bill however does not agree this is the case. He believes some of the greatest entrepreneurs – Richard Branson, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates – have one thing in common: they made great products.

He also stated that the single condition needed to be successful is a paying customer. The customer should be involved from the very beginning so you know who they are and what they require. By not carrying out market research and selecting the market segment you will be most successful in you are likely to fail.

For more detail on the 24 steps to a successful start-up you can sign up for the Disciplined Entrepreneurship Toolbox at http://detoolbox.com/ or purchase the book http://disciplinedentrepreneurship.com/

The 24 steps game plan is below

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Joining projects already being developed

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Holly Hoar

Getting your foot in the door of European funding can be difficult if you do not already have European partners. A good way to resolve this is to look for organisations seeking partners to join their consortium.

The University subscribes to an organisation called UKRO. One of their services includes a partner search portal. To access it you need to set up an account www.ukro.ac.uk using the create profile button. Once you are in, select the partner search tab. This brings up a list of organisations who are leading Horizon 2020 projects and looking or partners. It covers a range of subjects but is worth keeping an eye on.

Other ways you can find partners online can be to join the ERRIN Network www.errin.eu ERRIN aims to strengthen regional Research and Innovation capacities by exchanging information, sharing best practice and supporting European project development.

There are also H2020 focused groups on Linked In. Within this there are themed sub groups relating to the H2020 priorities. People frequently use Linked in to look for partners to join their consortium so it is worth joining a group in your interest area and getting emails sent to you.

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Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professorships

Posted on June 26, 2014 by BENNETT Margaret

The objective of these awards is to enable distinguished academics based overseas to spend between three and twelve months at a UK university, in order to enhance the skills of academic staff or students within the host institution. Any field of research is eligible.

Visiting Professors may also wish to use the opportunity to further their own academic interests.

Criteria for selection are:

the academic standing and achievements of the professor in terms of research and teaching
the ability of the host institution to benefit from the imported skills and expertise

Applications must be made by a member of academic staff, based in a UK university or other higher education institution, who will be responsible for coordinating the visit. Priority is given to new or recent collaborative ventures.

A maintenance grant up to a level commensurate with the salary of a professor in the relevant field at the receiving institution may be requested. Economy travel costs to and from the UK and research costs will also be met.

For further information go to: http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/funding/VP/VP.cfm

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Five Top Tips for Knockout Bid Submissions

Posted on June 26, 2014 by nl6

Five Top Tips for Knockout Bid Submissions

Appoint one person whose only job is to make sure everyone else does theirs! – It is vitally important for there to be someone who is ultimately responsible for the bid, through whom every action flows. A good bid leader will drive the bid forward and coordinate a submission delivered on time and on target. Pick a good organiser and a popular team member to whom people will respond.
Ensure you have the right partners that will add value to the bid and have the right skills! – It’s rare for an individual to put together a large bid completely on their own. Utilise your team to build a wide-ranging team of specialists and your proposal will be completed with time to spare and resounding with confidence and knowledge
Brief well and set clear deadlines! – There is a period of time at the start of a bid submission where you will brief your collaborators on what is required of them and how long they have to do it. Handle this well and it will pay dividends later! Sometimes it can be difficult to know how to divide the workload. I suggest that you begin by reading the invitation documents in detail and assigning each question, section or task to a department or individual. One way to kick-start an effective and well-informed working team is to hold a group session where everyone can be briefed together, and ideas and suggestions can be shared among you.
Start a library (and keep it in good shape)! – Other than people a well written and well-tended content library is your greatest ally in preparing winning bids. BUT a bid comprising entirely of pre-written text is an impersonal and careless approach. A good content library if kept up to date with new and revised material, can contribute to as much as 80% of your bid, providing you and your team with more time to work on the essential and unique content that lies at the heart of every good submission.
Don’t count the days. Make the days count! – Channel your energies at the right time. Your energy, enthusiasm, clarity and creativity will all fluctuate wildly during the bid writing process. If you use this natural ebb and flow to maximise your most productive periods, your bid will be better for it. Become adept at the art of timing and pacing and you’ll float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, not the other way round.

Keep an eye on progress and don’t be reluctant to send polite BUT persistent reminders as deadlines loom because when the bell goes your time is up, ready or not!

If you require bid writing support for commercial bids then please contact me at N.Arblaster@staffs.ac.uk or if you require support for research bids including Horizon2020 then contact the external projects team at externalprojects@staffs.ac.uk

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Royal Academy of Engineering – enterprise fellowships

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Esther KNIGHT

The Royal Academy of Engineering invites applications for its enterprise fellowships. These enable aspiring entrepreneurs to commercialise technology-based business ideas from academic institutions into spinout companies.

Applicants must be working in engineering departments or engineering-focused research areas at UK higher education institutions, at postdoctoral level or above. PhD students may apply, but must have received their PhD before they start the fellowship. The proposed technology must be an innovation or invention in engineering or technology.

Each fellow is provided with up to £85,000 to enable them to spend 12 months establishing their own business. In addition to the financial support, training will be provided to develop business skills. Mentors will be allocated to each fellow to provide additional support, advice and access to their entrepreneurial and venture capital networks during the enterprise fellowship.

Closing date 01/09/2014

Enterprise fellows are expected to start by 31 March 2015.

http://www.raeng.org.uk/research/researcher/eef/default.htm

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New EU LIFE Programme funds launched

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Holly Hoar

Funding for Europe’s new LIFE Programme has been launched.These projects address the needs of nature, biodiversity, environment and climate action.

Funding Body: European Environment Programme

Scheme: LIFE 2014-2020

Overview:

The 2014 call under the new LIFE programme, will fund the following types of projects:

Traditional projects
These are projects focusing on development of best practice, demonstration, pilot or information activities, awareness and dissemination projects in the following key fields:

Nature and Biodiversity
Environment and Resource Efficiency
Environmental Governance and Information
Climate Change Mitigation
Climate Change Adaptation
Climate Governance and Information

Preparatory projects
These address specific needs for the development and implementation of Union environmental or climate policy and legislation.

Integrated projects
These are projects implementing on a regional, national or trans-national scale environmental or climate plans or strategies required by specific EU environmental or climate legislation, which could be developed by EU Member States’ authorities. The focus areas are nature water, waste, air and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Technical Assistance projects
These provide, by way of action grants, financial support to help applicants prepare integrated projects.

Capacity Building projects
These provide financial support to activities required to build the capacity of EU Member States, including LIFE national or regional contact points, with a view to enabling these countries to participate more effectively in the LIFE Programme.

LIFE projects have an emphasis on demonstration, best practice and pilot projects rather than the research focus which you find in Horizon 2020. Some of the themes also allow dissemination and awareness projects to be carried out.

More details on the specifications for projects, and on these priority areas, can be found on the European Commission web page indicated below.

Projects do not have to be transnational, but they are encouraged.

Budget: The European commission with fund 60% of project costs. Except in cases where the project focuses on conservation of priority species or habitats, where the funding is 75%.

Capacity building projects for members States are co-financed at 100%

Deadlines: A variety of strands are open, the deadlines are in October 2014.

Further Information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/life2014/index.htm

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University Research Fellowship

Posted on June 20, 2014 by BENNETT Margaret

This scheme is for outstanding scientists in the UK who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. Approximately 35 fellowships will be awarded each year.

The scheme provides the opportunity to build an independent research career. Those appointed are expected to be strong candidates for permanent posts in universities at the end of their fellowships.

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine and any researcher addressing a direct biomedical research question.

The applicant must:

have a PhD
be in the early stages of their research career and must have between 3 to 8 years of research experience since their PhD by the closing date of the round
not hold a permanent post in a university or not-for-profit organization in the European Economic Area (EEA)
be a citizen of the EEA or a be a Swiss citizen (or have a relevant connection to the EEA or Switzerland)

The EEA consists of the European Union (including the UK), Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Initially funding is provided for five years with the opportunity to apply for an extension of three additional years. The University Research Fellowship can be held part-time, and allows sabbaticals, secondments or international experience

The basic salary requested should be at a level commensurate with the applicant’s skills, responsibilities, expertise and experience, up to a maximum of £38,759.20 per annum.

Closing date 17 Sep 14 (Forecast)

For further information go to: https://royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/university-research/

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New call for Agri-food-themed KTPs announced

Posted on June 19, 2014 by dc30

article

The Technology Strategy Board, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Invest Northern Ireland, the Scottish Funding Council and the Welsh Government, are to invest jointly up to £2.3m to establish Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) to improve the competitiveness, resilience and responsiveness of the agri-food supply chain.

The aim of this initiative is to give businesses access to the UK knowledge base so that they can develop innovative solutions to global challenges facing the agri-food sector.

Its scope spans primary production, including aquaculture, through to retail. This competition will provide new opportunities for open innovation and knowledge exchange across supply chains and sectors. It will help companies to mitigate commercial risk and improve business performance – and to achieve growth as a result.

Project proposals should address at least one of three high-level challenges:

• innovating to benefit consumer health, wellbeing and choice

• improving productivity, resource efficiency and resilience in the supply chain

• assuring safety and security across the supply chain.

Examples of potential project areas include: application of genetic and breeding approaches to crops and livestock; food safety, authenticity and traceability; improved methods to control yield/productivity loss or product quality; improving nutritional quality through better products or ingredients; modern manufacturing methods; technologies, approaches or services which support the sustained modification of consumer or employee behaviours; use of data (e.g. generation and interpretation of large data sets relevant to the agri-food supply chain).

The call opens today (19^th June) and will close on 11th Feb 2015.

For further information, read the full competition briefing on the TSB’s ‘innovateuk’ website here, or contact Dominic Collins in Enterprise & Commercial Development: Tel: 01785 353404, email: d.collins@staffs.ac.uk

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