Press release

2014 Fast Forward competition opens today

Entries for a competition to turn innovative ideas into reality have opened today for eligible universities and research establishments

From:
Intellectual Property Office and Viscount Younger of Leckie
Published
16 October 2013
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Entries for a competition to turn innovative ideas into reality have opened today (16 October 2013) for eligible universities and research establishments. As part of the 2014 Fast Forward competition they are now able to compete for a pot of the £750,000 funding available.

Since 2010, the competition has provided £2 million worth of funding and inspired 35 innovative UK projects.

Universities and public sector research establishments are encouraged to work collaboratively with businesses and local communities on projects that best use innovation and Intellectual Property (IP). Last year’s projects were in the areas of healthcare and social enterprises, clean technology construction and aerospace.

Minister for Intellectual Property Lord Younger said:

I am pleased to support the fourth year of the Fast Forward competition which rewards projects that display innovative approaches to Intellectual Property.

Our world class universities and industry should always look to find new ways of working together and help support economic growth.

The Fast Forward competition allows just this. It means our innovative creative industries can produce new and interesting products and services that meet global demand and I urge those interested to submit an entry.

Recent competition winners have included:

  • the Bloodhound@University project which is involved in the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car (SSC) world land speed record project. Based at the University of the West of England, Bloodhound@University secured £80,000 in funding

  • the ITALIA project from Buckinghamshire New University. The project was awarded £70,000 to bring together a variety of medical experts, university academics and Buckinghamshire County Council to develop new telehealth solutions to connect patients and doctors

The closing date for entries in the competition is Friday 13 December 2013.

Notes to editors

  1. Guidance and application form can be found at ‘2014 Fast Forward Competition’.

  2. The 2014 Fast Forward Competition awards prizes for projects that improve the management of Intellectual Property (IP) and Knowledge Exchange (KE), thereby creating new companies or services which benefit both the UK economy and society. It aims to encourage Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs) to work with businesses and local communities to develop innovative KE practices that set, test, develop or embed best practice.

  3. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is within the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS) and is responsible for the national framework of Intellectual Property rights, comprising patents, designs, trade marks and copyright.

  4. Its role is to help manage an IP system that encourages innovation and creativity, balances the needs of consumers and users, promotes strong and competitive markets and is the foundation of the knowledge-based economy.

  5. It operates in a national and an international environment and its work is governed by national and international law, including various international treaties relating to Intellectual Property (IP) to which the United Kingdom is a party.

Published 16 October 2013