Thursday 8 November 2007
 

Female bioscientists are being encouraged to sign-up to the 2008 UK Bio-Entrepreneur School, designed to overcome some of the barriers facing women moving into scientific-based enterprises. With the spotlight on Women’s Enterprise Day (Wednesday 14th November), organisers of the School want more women to apply for the 30 fully-funded places on the programme which runs in Nottingham, UK from 26 – 28 February 2008. Applications can be made by logging on to www.bioentrepreneur.co.uk.
The first national survey of women-owned businesses in Science, Engineering, Construction and Technology (SECT)¹ carried out earlier this year by Prowess, the UK association of women’s enterprise organisations, highlighted a staggeringly small number of female owned companies in these fields. When surveyed further, the women identified ways in which they and others might be helped to launch and grow SECT businesses. These included:
• More sector specific business support and networks
• More information on the range of finance available at start-up and growth stages
• Promotion of role models
• Encouraging more girls into SECT degrees
• Practical guides on procurement and tendering
The Bio-Entrepreneur School is being hosted by BioCity Nottingham, the leading bioscience incubator which boasts 30% female-founded businesses and provides the environment, networking, and learning opportunities to investigate what it means to take a scientific concept to market. The Bio-Entrepreneur School is a three day, intensive programme designed to help delegates explore their entrepreneurial potential, develop essential enterprise skills and overcome confidence barriers to developing their entrepreneurial career in this very specialist sector. Tutored by
seasoned business professionals and specialists in legal, IP and financing of the sector, the chosen delegates, male and female, can expect to gain a real insight into bioscience commercialisation.
Microbiologist Gracy Sailo-Lebeau (33) studied for her first two science degrees in India before heading for Coventry University in 2003 for her PhD. She has a long-term ambition to start her own business and attended the 2007 Bio-Entrepreneur School because she had never been exposed to the world of business. “I felt that the School understood how to build my confidence, simply by the way the sessions were managed. I also felt more able to network and to see the relevance of the business concepts as they apply to bioscience ideas. I would certainly encourage more women to apply for a place.”
Sponsors for 2008 bring technical expertise as well as funding to the School. They include lead sponsor Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) together with Nottingham Science City and patent experts AdamsonJones. Further support is being given by UK Trade & Investment, Nelsons, Connect Midlands and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
ENDS

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Notes:
¹ ‘Under the microscope’ – Female entrepreneurs in SECT. Prowess 2007. Email admin@prowess.org.uk for details.
• The Bio-Entrepreneur School takes place from Tuesday 26th – Thursday 28th February at BioCity Nottingham, Pennyfoot Street, NottinghamNG1 1GF
• Detailed information and registration instructions on www.bioentrepreneur.co.uk
Sponsor details:
BioCity Nottingham Ltd was formed in October 2002. The company develops and operates bioscience and healthcare related incubation and innovation facilities. The first such facility was opened in Nottingham in September 2003 and is currently home to 40 businesses with a further 7 in the Stewart Adams Building. BioCity was founded by Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and East Midlands Development Agency. The site the company is developing in Nottingham was originally gifted to Nottingham Trent University by BASF plc.
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England, set up in 1999 to bring a regional focus to economic development. Working in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations the aim is to deliver the 2006 Regional Economic Strategy (RES) ‘A Flourishing Region’, which sets out regional priorities until 2020.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences. Sponsored by Government, BBSRC annually invests around £380 million in a wide range of research that makes a significant contribution to the quality of life for UK citizens and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders including the agriculture, food, chemical, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk
AdamsonJones is a forward-looking, client-focused patent and trade mark firm offering a full range of intellectual property services in the UK, Europe and throughout the world. Based at BioCity Nottingham, we specialise in helping companies in the bioscience sector add value to their businesses through the creation and development of a strong IP portfolio.
Nottingham City Council is committed to pro-actively supporting the growth of the Science & Technology sector in Nottingham, in recognition of the importance of this sector to the growth of our 'Knowledge Economy' and our global competitiveness. Science & Technology has been identified as one of the City's five priority growth sectors and, having been awarded 'Science City' status by the government, Nottingham City Council is working closely with partners across the City to capitalize on this accolade, existing strengths and future potential.
The Biosciences sub-sector is of particular importance to the City in growing its presence and reputation in this niche market. The Council works with international partners to raise its profile within the market beyond the UK and is a member of a pan-European cluster development programme (Clusters Linked Over Europe - CLOE) supported by the European Commission.
UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that provides integrated support services for UK companies engaged in overseas trade and foreign enterprises seeking to locate in the UK. It brings together the work of teams in British embassies and FCO posts overseas and government departments across Whitehall. In England, international trade support is coordinated by nine International Trade Directors working in partnership with each Regional Development Agency. UK Trade & Investment services are delivered locally through a network of International Trade Teams. For more information visit the website http://www.emids.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/
One of the largest law firms in the East Midlands with offices in Nottingham, Leicester and Derby, Nelsons is acknowledged as a ‘regional heavyweight’ by Legal 500, a leading independently-researched legal directory.
The firm’s Commerce & Technology Group provides advice to businesses on a wide range of matters, including commercial contract and partnership law, UK and European Union competition law, and intellectual property issues.
The member firms of the PricewaterhouseCoopers network provide industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 146,000 people in 150 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice.
Unless otherwise indicated, 'PricewaterhouseCoopers' refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (www.pwc.com/uk) a limited liability partnership incorporated in England. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited.