Business Technology Centres (BTCs)
What are BTCs?
The South West RDA is currently working with
partners to develop the first two pilot Business Technology
Centres, which form part of the Solutions for Business Business Growth: Specialist Facilities and
Environments product.
BTCs are collaborative partnerships between
business and research based organisations with world leading
technologies that will form centres of technological expertise.
BTCs will align with the priority industries
identified in the South West. These are Aerospace and Defence, Biomedical, Environmental
Technologies, Creative Industries,
Marine, Food
and Agriculture and Microelectronics.
What will they do?
BTCs will work with businesses operating
in areas that can benefit from the centre’s technical
capabilities to help them overcome the challenges involved in
developing, proving and testing near to market technologies. They
will work with businesses on a commercial basis, providing them
with access to technical expertise and facilities in order to help
them to develop and commercialise new technology.
BTCs will provide businesses with another
route to business support services such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Grant for R&D, Collaborative R&D and Designing Demand.
By transferring existing world class academic
excellence into the commercial sector, BTCs will add significant
value to the priority South West sectors, increasing global
competitiveness, encouraging inward investment and promoting the
region as a significant force for technology and innovation.
How to access
Businesses will be able to access BTCs
directly or via iNets, Business Link or
other business support services. BTCs will proactively engage with
business. and in particular SMEs. across the South West through
events, workshops and consultation.