Viewpoint

Endorsed - if lukewarmly - by Europe's leaders, the plan for a "European Institute of Technology", now goes to the back rooms in Brussels for more cooking.

For 30 years, the European Commission has been trying to fix the broken patent process, but keeps running afoul of entrenched intestests. Is it any wonder that European countries keep dropping in the world patent leagues?

Friedrich Bornikoel, managing partner for TVM Capital's Information & Communications Technology group, sees a recovery in German venture capital - but still no boom.

At the Science Business roundtable in Paris on 7 March, labour was the big talking point - both inside and outside the conference room.

Europe is lousy at reaping the commercial benefits of its R&D. To spur reform, Science|Business is preparing a “manifesto” of policy measures for technology transfer and innovation. What’s needed? A revolution.

What is wrong with France’s basic research? There’s something missing, but it’s not resources, says Jean-Marc Schlenker.

Everyone wants to encourage innovation. But, says Alain de Serres from the OECD, a survey of the world’s leading industrial countries shows they are going about it in different ways and with very different results.

If you think it’s hard to do a biotech start up, try doing it in Poland. You’ll face international condescension, local incredulity and the mysteries of Polish law, says Charles Goldfinger.

On 26 January, in London, Science|Business organised a roundtable of executives in the biotech industry to discuss the state of the market. The consensus: investor appetite for biotech companies is on the rise.

There is much more work to do to convince public opinion that bioscience is a force for good, says UK BioIndustry Association chairman Simon Best.