TSB: Feasibility studies will help stimulate development of nanoscale technologies

Eight British companies are set to receive a total of nearly £200,000 in government investment for feasibility studies aimed at helping to stimulate innovation with technologies that will be able to address potential environmental health and safety (EHS) aspects of the development of nanoscale technologies.

The funding – from the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – will go towards 3-month feasibility studies with a primary purpose of seeding business-led collaboration going into future programmes in EHS-related applications.  A secondary aim is to enhance understanding of the priorities in EHS-related issues and solutions from the perspective of UK business.  Meeting these aims will make it possible to deliver early stage novel solutions that will place the UK in a strong and competitive position, developing technologies in a global landscape.

The companies leading the feasibility studies are Intrinsiq Materials Ltd, Paraytec Ltd, Deliverics Ltd, Archimedes Polymer Technologies (UK) Ltd, AvantiCell Science Ltd, Seacoustics Limited, Naneum Limited and Plastic Antibodies Ltd.  The Technology Strategy Board will invest £166,000 in the eight studies while EPSRC will contribute £30,000 towards academic costs within three of the studies.

Each project will culminate in a short report, an initial business plan to take the project towards identifying UK/EU partners and, where relevant, a physical demonstration.  Projects will present their achievements at a public ‘Collaboration Nation’ event to be held in autumn 2011.