ECOLINK workshop focuses on support for 3rd wave of innovation

Determined that the UK shall not fail once again to exploit the commercial opportunity of its innovations, business leaders in Cambridge are making a concerted effort to raise awareness of the huge market potential of Cleantech.

St John’s Innovation Centre is showcasing 6 promising UK-based Cleantech companies and 5 French companies at an ECOLINK workshop on 20th October that aims to investigate how best to support development and drive market acceptance for these technologies.

One of the panellists, William Anthony, Marketing Director for EcoTechnilin, a natural fibre solution company says that the UK has much to gain from the French experience.

“EcoTechnilin now has a production facility in Northern France. We originally started in the UK, creating insulation materials for the construction industry from waste plant materials. We then discovered that if we applied heat, pressure and a resin, that the product could be moulded and hardened to create a better solution for internal car parts than injection-moulded plastic or glass fibre.”

However, despite the benefits in cost, performance and resource use, EcoTechnilin found it difficult to gain finance to develop its technology and that UK manufacturers were unwilling to alter their supply-chains to accommodate the new material.

“Our major competitor was a French company creating natural fibre mats from flax that was waste from the linen industry. So we bought them out and took our technology to France where it was welcomed with enthusiasm,” he said.

Part of the benefit of a French operation is that EcoTechnilin is able to retrieve 50% of its R&D costs through tax credits, even though research is still done in the UK.

The company is also working with a Belgian partner that supplies a sugar-based bioresin that can replace petroleum resins. This will enable the company to make rigid panels for the construction industry that are 100% biosourced.

EcoTechnilin is confident that market pressures will increase the desirability of its product, which is becoming increasingly cost-efficient as petroleum prices increase and the automotive and other industries come under pressure from environmental legislation.

Panellist David Gill, Director of the St John’s Innovation Centre and a member of the Institute of Manufacturing’s technology management team, comments that cleantech is disruptive as it provides supply-chain substitutions.

He says: “Given time the market will prefer the cleantech alternatives especially as we approach peak oil and the price of energy becomes a major driver. However in the short term these technology companies need support, whether this is through a simplified taxation process that stimulates R&D investment or legislative pressure that drives market demand.

“ECOLINK creates an opportunity for companies to get profile and pitch to potential investors across the EU. We are keen to encourage entrepreneurs to participate in this initiative as it provides a springboard to a market that is larger and potentially more receptive to clean technologies.”

The workshop is to be facilitated by Hugh Parnell, chair of Cambridge Cleantech, a membership organisation that is set to launch the following morning 21st October. The French companies will be staying over to join their English counterparts at the event.

He says: “The East of England cleantech sector has a market value of £12bn and globally £4.3 trillion1. We estimate that in Greater Cambridge alone there are 450 companies that are operating in this high opportunity sector. If we get it right we can invigorate a ‘third wave’ of innovation after high tech and biotech that will offer self-sustaining economic activity on a global scale.”

Companies, policy makers and potential investors are all welcome to attend the ECOLINK workshop on October 20th 14.00 – 18.30 at St John’s Innovation Centre. More information is available on www.stjohns.co.uk. The event is funded by the European Commission and hosted by St John’s Innovation Centre and two French incubators BIC Provence and BIC Le Havre.

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Notes for editors

1 Data from the Greater Cambridge CleanTech Strategy and Action Plan 2010.

Details of companies presenting included below

For media information please contact Rachel Holdsworth or Rebecca Nesbit at Holdsworth Associates on 01954 202789 or email rebecca@holdsworth-associates.co.uk, www.holdsworth-associates.co.uk

About St John’s Innovation Centre www.stjohns.co.uk

St John’s Innovation Centre provides early stage knowledge-based companies with business advice, strategic consultancy, introductions and flexible accommodation. It was the first innovation centre of its kind in Europe and has become world-renowned for its success as a business incubator. It is located at the heart of the Greater Cambridge technology cluster, in which it plays a pivotal role.

Companies presenting:

Cambridge Nanotherm - production of high thermal performance printed circuit boards (PCBs) using newly developed nanoceramic films that are twice as thermally efficient as the best current PCB insulating materials.

Enval Ltd - developers of a patented process and equipment for reclaiming aluminium from flexible plastic/aluminium laminated packaging (e.g. toothpaste tubes, pet food and fruit juice pouches) and converts this waste into valuable oils and gases and clean aluminium ready for recycling.

Energy Reducing Products - development and supply of retrofitted smart, energy-saving products, used with commonly found commercial and domestic appliances in office, light industrial and domestic environments.

Syrinix - detection of leaks in water trunk mains.

Bio Group - production of biomethane from anaerobic digestion of commercial food waste.

Green Energy Options - engaging end-users in managing and reducing their energy consumption in the home and influencing their overall awareness of their carbon/energy footprint.

Genes’ Ink - new materials for production of PCBs – using non-polluting, lower energy use materials in an ink jet printing cold process.

Encapsulix - early stage process solution provider aimed at increasing lifetime of photovoltaics, OLED lighting, etc.

SP3H - an optical fuel quality sensor that reduces fuel consumption, pollutants and CO2 emissions.

Solaire 2G - producers of hybrid solar panel combining photovoltaics and thermal conversion.

ECOLINK workshop focuses on support for 3rd wave of innovation

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