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Make your millions - turning science into business

6 March 2000

Launch of a Environmental Sciences Business Plan Competition.

Do you want to take your share of the UK's £12b environmental business market? Have you got what it takes to turn your research findings into a viable business proposition? The launch of a pilot, national Environmental Sciences Business Plan Competition could provide you with the very opportunity to do this.

Funded and co-ordinated by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the competition is open to all publicly funded scientists investigating the natural environment who wish to see their research developed into a commercial business proposition. Entries are welcome from individuals or teams, who will need to submit an outline business idea in the first instance.

Initial acceptance into the competition will result in training and mentoring from business experts on how to develop comprehensive and detailed business plans incorporating issues such as business finance, intellectual property management, human resource issues and assessing user benefits. A cash prize of at least £10,000 to the individual or team, submitting the best plan will enable further development of the business proposal.

Generating business from environmental sciences is nothing new; spin-out companies, joint ventures with industry, the development of licensing plans and scientific business services by universities have all resulted from such partnerships.

To enter the competition, ring the number below for an application pack - the next spin-out idea could well be yours - so get writing!

Further information

Chris Miller
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411764

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Notes

1. The Environmental Sciences Business Plan Competition is open to individuals or teams of research scientists, post-doctoral scientists and PhD students in UK Universities and public sector research establishments investigating the natural environment. The science of the natural environment includes terrestrial, marine and freshwater biology and atmospheric, hydrological, oceanographic and polar sciences and Earth observation. There should be no restrictions on the business sector on which the proposed business or business service would operate and it is not confined to those business sectors directly concerned with the natural environment.

2. All entrants meeting the eligibility rules will be allowed to enter the first stage of the competition. Places in successive stages, where training, expert advice and mentoring will be available, will be allocated on a competitive basis. The final stage of the competition will lead to the formation of full business plans. A cash prize to enable further development of the business proposal will be made to the team submitting the best plan. Closing date for initial entries is 25 April 2000.

3. NERC is the leading body in the UK for research, survey, monitoring and training in the environmental sciences. NERC funds research in universities and in its own Centres and Surveys. NERC trains scientists for the future - more than 3,000 postgraduate students have been funded by NERC over the last five years.

Press release: 03/00

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