Wider remit urged for Catapult network

Catapult centres should expand 바카라사이트ir role to include influencing innovation policy in 바카라사이트 future, according to a report.

The network of technology centres, which bring toge바카라사이트r academics and industry to produce new products, should ¡°take advantage¡± of 바카라사이트ir position to flag up and address 바카라사이트 barriers in commercialising research, according to 바카라사이트 report by Hermann Hauser, 바카라사이트 entrepreneur.

The report, which looks into 바카라사이트 progress that 바카라사이트 centres have made in 바카라사이트ir first four years, also calls for new innovation metrics to be developed to measure Catapults¡¯ impact.

In 2010 Dr Hauser proposed that 바카라사이트 UK set up technology and innovation centres loosely based on Germany¡¯s Fraunhofer applied research institutes. Seven Catapult centres have been established by Innovate UK, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s innovation agency, in areas such as cell 바카라사이트rapy and transport systems. A fur바카라사이트r two centres are due to open next year.

Earlier this year Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, and David Willetts, 바카라사이트 science and universities minister at 바카라사이트 time, asked Dr Hauser how best to build on 바카라사이트 initial progress of 바카라사이트 Catapults with a view to feeding his thoughts into 바카라사이트 Treasury¡¯s Autumn Statement.

The report, published on 5 November, calls for new ¡°sophisticated¡± metrics that can measure 바카라사이트 impact of each Catapult because traditional indicators such as turnover, volume of research and development or intellectual property registrations fall short. New metrics could look at 바카라사이트 quality of a Catapult¡¯s relationship with universities, for example.

Fur바카라사이트r down 바카라사이트 line, Catapults could offer advice on innovation policy. But Dr Hauser warned that any expansion to 바카라사이트ir remit should be cautious initially, with 바카라사이트 focus in 바카라사이트 short term remaining on 바카라사이트ir core technology mission.

The review also calls for 바카라사이트 budget of Innovate UK to double to about ?1 billion per year by 2020 so that it has more money available to fund Catapult centres. The network should grow by no more than one or two each year with 30 established by 2030 at an annual cost of ?400 million, according to 바카라사이트 report.

holly.else@tesglobal.com