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Jackpot win for environment business solutions

17 October 2001

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has won a share of the science jackpot announced by Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt last week.

Their successful bid has netted £600,000 from the £10m public sector research establishment (PSRE) fund, to develop and improve NERC's ability to exploit its science and technology potential. NERC will use most of this money to establish more expertise in its research centres, by developing skills in-house and also linking with established external experts.

The aim is to create a commercialisation 'pipeline' that will provide comprehensive support for exploiting ideas across all NERC activities. It will operate through a central hub team interacting with 'exploitation scouts' in the research centres, who will be on the lookout for good scientific ideas with commercial possibilities. They will help researchers to develop bids for commercial sponsorship.

This follows directly on from NERC'S recent strategy to enhance exploitation of its research results. The NERC Innovation Fund was launched at the end of June 2000 to stimulate fresh commercial activity and bring new opportunities to the point where they might be successfully licensed or attract external finance.

"This extra money provides an excellent opportunity to build on the impressive start NERC has made. In one year we have uncovered more opportunities than we can support - this additional money will pave the way to getting more great ideas out into the marketplace," said Professor John Lawton, NERC's Chief Executive.

To complement this award, a further £4m has been awarded from the PSRE pot to the 'Rainbow Seed Fund', a joint venture between the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils* (CCLRC), NERC and the Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL).

The Rainbow Seed Fund is a vessel for the partners to take forward fledgling ideas with business potential. It is the only seed fund to benefit from the PSRE share-out of new science money.

Further information

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

Notes

1. The UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) provides independent research and training in the environmental sciences. Its mission is to gather and apply knowledge, create understanding and predict the behaviour of the natural environment and its resources.

2. The Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils* (CCLRC) is taking the lead in the Rainbow Seed Fund. Associate partners involved in the venture are the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council* (PPARC).

* On 1 April 2007, CCLRC and PPARC merged to form the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Press release: 14/01

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