This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Indigenous innovation points way ahead
20/08/2002
A focus on innovation is the key to building a healthy and vibrant electronics industry in Scotland, Enterprise Minister Iain Gray said today.
He was speaking during Electronics Day - part of the Minister's ongoing summer tour - on a visit to the Edinburgh University Microelectronics Centre, Terahertz Photonics in Livingston, the IT Learning Skills for All centre in Grangemouth.
The Minister also used the day to announce the latest tranche of awards to companies under the Executive's SMART: SCOTLAND 2002 Competition.
The competition is designed to help new and existing small businesses, with less than 50 employees, gain a competitive edge in the market by funding the development of innovative and commercially viable products and processes.
Speaking at Terahertz Photonics, a previous winner of the competition, the Minister said:
"The electronics sector here in Scotland has, without doubt, been hit particularly hard by the global downturn and the world-wide restructuring of the industry. That is why it is particularly pleasing to be here today at the opening of Terahertz Photonics' new Research and Production Facility. In Terahertz, we have a Scottish company with the confidence to look past the current difficult conditions and start preparing for the future.
"I have made it clear on a number of occasions that I value very much the global electronics companies that have a presence here in Scotland, I also believe however that we can improve our performance in growing our own indigenous electronics companies.
"Our academic research is world renowned. In bringing the ideas out of our labs and into our businesses, I believe that Scotland has a chance to lead the world in developing the technologies of the 21 st century. That is why we are investing in schemes such as Proof of Concept and Enterprise Fellowships. These schemes are aimed specifically towards increasing the commercialisation of our best research. They present significant opportunities for those working in electronics."
The Minister continued:
"I am also delighted to be able to announce the results of the second round of the SMART: SCOTLAND competition. 14 small Scottish companies will benefit directly from the competition - allowing them to develop the type of innovative products and ideas that I am so keen to encourage.
"The Executive is committed to delivering a Smart Successful Scotland. This strategy relies on us doing more of what we do best. I believe that Scotland is a nation awash with innovation and it is by building on this that we can deliver the modern, vibrant economy that the country so richly deserves."
SMART:SCOTLAND 2002, ROUND TWO WINNERS
- Aros Developments Ltd: Inverness - Radio-linked instrumentation for medical applications incorporating blue-tooth technology.
Contact: Dr Ross Maxwell
Tel: 01463 667390
- Biopta Ltd: Glasgow - Miniaturised drug screening and toxicology system.
Contact: Dr Chris Hillier
Tel: 0141 331 3952
- Calico Jack Ltd: Cupar - Development of a multi-agent based platform designed to run mobile services over cellular networks.
Contact: Dr Paul Sergeant
Tel: 07866 738 384
- DEM Solutions Ltd: Edinburgh - Software for simulation and analysis of industrial granular processing and handling problems.
Contact: Dr John Favier
Tel: 0131 650 5795
- Highland Geology Ltd: Helensburgh - Intelligent software for petroleum geologists and geophysicists analysing seismic profiles.
Contact: Dr John Nicholson
Tel: 01436 676326
- Intelligent Compliant Engineering Ltd: Rosyth - A fluid-operated actuator system for biomimetic applications.
Contact: Dr Bruce Davies/Mr Robert Boyce
Tel: 01383 427 610
- Kelvin Connect Ltd: Glasgow - Mobile data capture software for clinical trials.
Contact: Dr Meurig Sage
Tel: 0141 339 8855
- Linear B Ltd: Edinburgh - Software that will allow high volume, rapid translation of digital documents between arbitrary language pairs.
Contact: Mr Chris Callison-Burch
Tel: 0131 557 4394
- Lux Biotechnology Ltd: Edinburgh - Development of unique luminous biosensors based on fungal cells.
Contact: Dr Patrick C. Hickey
Tel: 07974 920 706
- Dr Nigel Goddard: Edinburgh -Internet-compliant methods for flexible integration of distributed, dynamic, semi-structured data.
Contact: Dr Nigel Goddard
Tel: 0787 967 1811
- Renewable Devices Ltd: Edinburgh - Novel silent wind powered rooftop heating system.
Contact: Dr Charles Silverton
Tel: 0131 667 9152
- SeeByte Ltd: Edinburgh - An intelligent fault and diagnosis demonstrator.
Contact: Professor David M Lane
Tel: 0131 451 3350
- TeleIT Ltd: Glasgow - Automated marketing using Target Market user Profiling.
Contact: Dr Peter Mowforth
Tel: 0141 204 5297
- THK Holdings Ltd: Luss - Development of "intelligent" environmental tracers.
Contact Dr Jonathan Marsh
07000 387000
Entries for SMART:SCOTLAND can be submitted at any time of the year by individuals planning to start a business in Scotland and by existing small firms/groups with less than 50 employees. Applicants should have either an annual turnover not exceeding EURO 7 million (approx. £4.38 million) or a balance sheet total not exceeding EURO 5 million (approx. £3.13 million).
There are three rounds of judging each year and the Government meets 75% of the project costs, subject to a maximum award of £45,000. Winners who successfully complete their projects and require additional assistance to develop a pre-production prototype can apply for further funding under the second stage of SMART. This stage is non-competitive and grant is available at 35% of the eligible project costs, subject to a maximum grant of £150,000 for both stages. Second stage projects must last between six and thirty six months.