THE SPACE INDUSTRY


FOCUS FEATURE


The University of Nottingham’s Innovation Park is launching the Space Technology Entrepreneurship programme, funded by the UK Space Agency The incubator funding was announced at a Northern


‘A career in the space industry means working with some of the most advanced technology on the planet and you could be part of projects that actually change the world’


Space Consortium event in Liverpool where politicians and business leaders in the region were introduced to the opportunities and potential of the highly-lucrative UK space industry. Colin said: “North England, the Midlands and North


Wales all have the potential to make a significant contribution to our thriving space sector. “There are opportunities for a range of companies


developing innovative products that can match the needs of the space industry. “We’re committed to nurturing business and research in


these regions, and showing small businesses how they can benefit from our £11.8bn [a valuation higher than the 2014 London Economics report] space industry.” The incubators receiving funding include: Leicester Dock,


the University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP) and Loughborough University’s Advanced Technology Innovation Centre (ATIC).


SPACE AGENCY DOCKS AT LEICESTER The Dock, in partnership with the University of Leicester, will be Leicester’s first incubator for businesses in the space sector or those which use space data. The incubator, named Downstream@Dock, will be aimed


at early stage, start-up and pre-start businesses in these fields. Downstream@Dock was formally launched last month. The University of Leicester has a long history of expertise


and involvement in space research. It has its Space Research Centre which has the specialist skills and equipment to design space missions and for testing instruments. Since 1967, at least one Leicester-built instrument has been


part of a space programme every year and operated in space. The Space Research Centre’s expertise is recognised by


most space agencies. It is part of the University's Department of Physics and


Astronomy and is housed in the Michael Atiyah building, which opened in three phases, in 1998, 2003 and 2011. The first phase is entirely occupied by SRC office space,


laboratories and workshops. The second phase houses the SRC's large cleanroom and two further laboratories, and is shared with the University's Mathematical Modelling Centre. The third phase houses additional laboratory space and


office space for researchers from the Earth Observation Science research group.


NOTTINGHAM AIMING FOR THE STARS The University of Nottingham is launching a new incubation programme at the university's Innovation Park (UNIP). The Space Technology Entrepreneurship programme will tap into its expertise in both technology and business. The project, which is funded by the UK Space Agency,


aims to support start-ups from across the space sector and go some way towards achieving the national target for 2030. Start-ups will gain access to facilities and resources,


while also being able to collaborate with fellow start-ups. They will have access to key technological expertise via the university, including downstream applications of geospatial engineering, aerospace, energy, digital and advanced manufacturing technologies. Mark Tock, Director of the University of Nottingham


Innovation Park, said: “It is fantastic news that UNIP is part of this exciting UK Space Agency incubation initiative, and very timely with the forthcoming opening of our new Technology Entrepreneurship Centre. We have a tremendous range of expertise and facilities for businesses looking to gain a foothold in the space sector. Our initial aim is to support a minimum of eight start-ups or SMEs in this sector by the end of the year, and we hope that with our support they will grow to their potential, creating new jobs over the coming years.”


A JOB FOR LIFE Working in the space sector is a job for life, according to Loughborough University, the third East Midlands hub announced in March. On its website it describes how the sector affects much of modern-day life, from providing TV and telephone signals to helping to control traffic flows and providing accurate weather forecasts. “The space sector is one of the fastest-growing


industries in the UK, and is also rapidly growing across the globe,” it says. It adds: “This explosive growth has created a rise in opportunities for employment within the sector at a time when jobs are harder to come by in many other industries. “A career in the space industry means working with


some of the most advanced technology on the planet and you could be part of projects that actually change the world, whether it’s supporting a mission to Mars, or assisting the harvest of crops in communities where starvation is a real threat. “Working in the space sector offers you a job for life.”


business network June 2016 35


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