New plans outlined for £200m innovation centres

ORGANISATIONS keen to form a market leading technology and innovation centre focused on high value manufacturing can now register their interest with the Government.

The proposed centre will be the first of a national network of up to eight which will be established and overseen by innovation agency the Technology Strategy Board.

It received funding of £200m in October’s Comprehensive Spending Review for the centres.

The aim is that centres will work in partnership with universities and businesses to help commercialise the results of research in specific technology areas where there are potential multi-billion pound global markets.

Other centres will focus on energy and resource efficiency, transport systems, healthcare, ICT and electronics, photonics and electrical systems.

The Government said they would sit “between the worlds of academia and of business” and enable cutting-edge research to be pushed forward that can be turned into commercial opportunities.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “The banking crisis made one thing completely clear: Britain needs a new kind of growth.

“We should be at the cutting edge of science, manufacturing and technology. And this innovation should be happening in towns and cities across the UK, creating opportunity for everyone, no matter where they live.

“The programme for technology and innovation centres is a key part of our strategy to rebalance the economy.”

Views on the project can be submitted until the end of January after which a decision on the first centre will be taken in March.

The centres will be established in two phases, with the first phase starting in 2011/2012 and the second during 2012/2013.