Development of a roadmap for graphene applications

Client – Government Agency

Government Agency needed information to determine impact, industrial interest, priority, timescale and amount of funding needed for graphene applications related to a specific topic in order to setup the grant funding calls for proposals.

• Preparation and delivery of the stakeholder engagement workshop, survey and interviews to collect primary information related to the roadmap.
• Mapping of stakeholders, invitation to the workshop, preparation of the workshop agenda and roadmap development activities documentation, preparation of the survey, conduction of interviews and analysis of collected information

UK-Spain nanotech bi-lateral event co-organisation

Partner: UK Government (Innovate UK)

Following Brexit UK Government wanted to strengthen bi-later relationship with key partner states in Europe in different sectors. UK and Spain have traditionally been good partners in European funded projects with high numbers of project participants from each state, especially in nanotechnologies and advanced materials.

• A two-day UK-Spain bi-lateral event on Nanotechnologies and Advanced Materials in Cambridge has been co-organised in partnership with the Enterprise Europe Network, UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK Science and Innovation Network (SIN), Innovate UK, Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial (CDTI), and Tecnalia.
• Inviting some of the keynote speakers both from UK and Spain, logistics and registration of the event, running the registration deck and the moderation panel discussion session with top panellists including Head of Nanotechnologies and Advanced Materials from the European Commission, Dr Helen Chrave.

Multinational end user biomedical company has been attracted by the product prototype presented by an innovative SME

Client – Project consortium partners including the innovative SMEs

Project consortium partners including innovative SMEs with product prototypes needed to attract potential end user companies and investors outside of the project that would help utilising and exploiting the project results

• A specific thematic oriented workshop with exhibition area, conference presentation area and networking area has been organised by us in Brussels linked to one of the EU funded projects
• A representative of the multinational end user biomedical company linked to the corporate VCs has been invited to attend the workshop. He has been attracted by a product prototype and development potential for one of SMEs who was a partner on the EU funded project
• The SME company has utilised an opportunity of the exhibition desk and presentation slot to present their biomedical device product prototype
• The multinational company representative has been attracted by a product prototype and development potential and this introduction organised by us and initial communication led into further interaction and discussion about direct investment from the corporate VC investment branch.

Nanocarbons use in products of interest to the multinational company and competitor analysis report

 Client – Multinational company

Multinational company with European HQ, needed an initial assessment of use of nanocarbon materials in products of their interest to cover a range of relevant materials properties, applications and competitors in order to help developing strategy

• A report has been prepared analysing nanocarbon patents for the products and applications of the client’s interest. Competitors have been analysed for their nanocarbon patent activities. In addition to patents key publications, press releases and organisation of interest profiles were added into the comprehensive report.
• The multinational client company also joined the NCEM (Nano-Carbon Enhanced Materials) private member consortium to meet innovative SMEs with solutions compatible with their nanocarbon related interests.

Graphene supercapacitors – proposal preparation, consortium building, project management support

Client – Fraunhofer Institute

The Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 was awarded jointly to Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov from Manchester University “for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene”. The graundbraking papar of Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov was published in Science in 2004 and between 2004 and 2010 many leading research institutions we trying to establish their own graphene related programmes. In autumn of 2009 the Fraunhofer Institute in Stuttgart approached Dr Bojan Boskovic from Cambridge Nanomaterials Technology Ltd (CNT Ltd) for help in getting their first graphene related project.

Dr Bojan Boskovic from CNT Ltd helped the Fraunhofer Institute in Stuttgart to build consortium and prepare text of the EC proposal for approximately €4M project for graphene supercapacitors for the automotive industry. The ElectroGraph project was granted (EC FP7 Grant Agreement No. 266391) and Dr Boskovic continued to provide management support for the project by taking an active role as Exploitation and Dissemination Manager of the project.

Leading university in the UK has been supported with development of the nanomaterials research strategy

Client – Leading university in the UK

University in the UK, part of the Russell Group of 24 leading UK universities, needed identification of priorities in nanomaterials research and recommendation of relevant future activities. It was needed to identify and provide recommendations related to: strengths and position in the international ecosystem, problems and challenges to address, technology development opportunities where new stuff and leadership is needed, existing opportunities for nanomaterials research within easy reach and opportunities in new and upcoming research fields.

• A comprehensive report presenting and analysing collected information and providing recommendations has been prepared related to nanomaterials research and development activities. Information collected in the interviews with selected staff the university and external experts and in additional research about positioning in the international ecosystem has been presented in this report.
• Interview question have been prepared and structured with the aim to collect information such as requirements, current and future needs and motivation of key collaborators and opportunities for further development.
• The best practice examples from leading universities in key areas of interest have been presented based on interviews and additional research. Guidance and inspirational examples for improvement have been highlighted in the report.
• Recommendations related to nanomaterials research development in existing and new sectors and further partnership expansion with current and potential partners have been prepared as a summary case for actions. The report has been presented to the key staff responsible for the university strategy development.

Development of a technology and IP strategy for battery applications

Client – Battery SME

CEO of a battery technology development SME approached Dr Bojan Boskovic from Cambridge Nanomaterials Technology Ltd with request for help in understanding full potential of carbon nanotube paper based technology for batteries that company was looking to commercialise.

The CNT Ltd prepared initial patent landscaping report and followed by additional technology development strategy reports identifying technology threats and compatible technologies that could strengthen and enhanced a value of the technology that the SME was developing.

In order to fully support the company in technology strategy development Dr Bojan Boskovic, became a member of the SME Advisory Board providing advice with commercialisation of carbon nanotube based electrochemical devices and help with collaborative R&D efforts and further IP development and product commercialisation.

CEO of the SME, said regarding the Advisory Board appointment of Dr Boskovic: “We are very excited about working with Dr. Boskovic, he understands new materials and how to deliver solutions in multiple industry applications, his expertise will help drive the company forward towards new and exciting frontiers in a number of clean energy market sectors.”

This appointment of Dr Bojan Boskovic into the Advisory Board has been reported by a number of the business news websites in March 2011 including the Reuters website.