The first of proposed £200 million network of Technology and Innovation Centres to be set up around the UK was announced today (17 March). The centre in High Value Manufacturing, will be formed from a group of existing research and technology facilities, providing an integrated capability and covering all forms of manufacture using metals and composites, process manufacturing technologies and bioprocessing.
At the same time, the formation of nine new university-based Centres for Innovative Manufacturing with government funding of £45 million was announced. These centres will be charged with taking basic research and developing it to the point where it can be taken forward to commercialisation by the TICs.
The formation of the first TIC follows the publication a year ago of a report by the entrepreneur Hermann Hauser, in which he said the UK’s approach to exploiting basic research is sub critical, lacks a national strategy, does not meet business needs and overlooks relevant expertise.
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