The Electronics Knowledge Transfer Network tackles the issues at the heart of the UK’s innovative capacity; getting your innovative products to market in a global economy at National Electronics Week, taking place at London’s Earls Court 2 over 17th – 19th June. The seminar programme aimed at business leaders, designers and technologists who want to get their product to market looks at the issues facing the UK to maintain an innovative electronics sector, and how to be more successful at getting innovative ideas to market.
Discussing the philosophy behind the workshops, Electronics KTN Chief Executive, Ashley Evans, explains “In the UK, we recognise the value that our academic research community bring to the table with their inventions in new science and technology, but do we really see a return on the investment that our Research Councils make? Creative industries is a term that’s in vogue at the moment, conjuring up a vision of value being plucked from artistic and creative minds; whether that be software games, media or art. This is of course a vital part of a balanced society, but let’s not under-estimate the creativity that’s also required to produce a new electronic device, whether that be an artificial eye enabling vision for the blind, or a non-invasive detection system that scans for terrorist threats. Putting these devices together requires imagination and creativity from the electronic engineers who design these products. Combining, integrating and controlling new and different technologies.
Bringing together new interfaces to enable sensing, control, and actuation at faster speeds, using less power and processing more data than ever before. Electronics is a creative industry that innovates and improves that quality of all our lives. In the UK, we have this creative capacity, but do we have the skills to get our inventions to market.
The line-up of speakers have a wealth of experience from companies as diverse as picoChip, Plastic Logic, Dialight, Achievo, ANT, Splashpower, Pond Ventures, the Design Council and Marks & Clerk.
Session 1: Creativity, Innovation and Design in the Electronics Sector
11.00 Welcome from the Chair, David Kynaston, Chair Electronics KTN,
11.10 Opening remarks, Harry Tee, Chair of the Electronics Leadership Council,
11.25 Keynote 1 (Jamie Urquhart, Pond Ventures, picoChip, Splashpower)
11.50 Keynote 2 (Alistair Atkinson, Optos)
12.15 Q&A
12.30 Break for networking
Session 2: The breakthrough from invention to entrepreneur to revenue
13.30 Welcome back
13.35 Keynote 3 (Ed Round, Partner, Marks & Clerk, Converting concepts to cash)
13.50 Keynote 4 (Ellie Runcie, the Design Council, Stimulating Design in the UK)
14.10 Keynote 5 (Stuart Evans, Plastic Logic: Growing companies of scale in the UK)
14.35 Q&A
14.45 Closing remarks
14.50 Close
