University of Nottingham spin-out company Cerca Magnetics was named best start-up medtech company at the annual OBN awards.
Cerca Magnetics received the award in recognition of their achievements developing and bringing to market the first commercial, wearable brain MEG device.
The wearable brain imaging system was developed by researchers at the University of Nottingham and since the formation of Cerca Magnetics 14 months ago has already been installed at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto for ground-breaking research into autism, and Young Epilepsy’s diagnostic suite where it is being used to improve how the condition is diagnosed and treated.
The prestigious awards, now in their 13th year, shine a light on companies at all stages of development, recognising inspirational leadership, exciting innovation, novel and exciting approaches to unmet clinical need, outstanding company progression and the delivery of real-life tangible results.
David Woolger CEO of Cerca said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded best start-up. Since we formed the company, we have had so much interest in this system and are delighted to already be working with Sick Kids and Young Epilepsy to improve the lives of children with brain disorders.”
This wearable brain imaging system is the result of years of research by scientists at the University of Nottingham who recognised the need for an alternative to the conventional MEG scanners that are very expensive, cumbersome, and rely on cryogenic sensors which are not viable for use in infants, and require patients to stay extremely still.
The new wearable system is based upon recently developed “quantum” sensors which use the fundamental properties of atoms to sense local magnetic fields. These new sensors, called optically pumped magnetometers or OPMs, do not require cryogenic cooling. They are also extremely small and lightweight (similar to a Lego brick). This means they can be mounted in a helmet which the patient wears. The helmet can adapt to any head shape or size, and because it is lightweight and moves with the head, it is completely motion robust, making this ideal for children and young people.
Dr Elena Boto, Chief Scientist at Cerca Magnetics said: “It’s incredible to see how far the technology has come since our initial experiments in the lab five years ago. Seeing the system commercialised and installed to help children with neurological problems like autism and epilepsy is amazing and we are looking forward to developing and rolling the system out even further in 2022.” The University of Nottingham announces launch of a new £12m research centre for inclusive trade policy
A major new research centre on inclusive trade policy is to launch in early 2022. The Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy aims to be a centre of excellence for innovative trade policy research.
The UK has experienced a huge change in trade policy. Having left the EU, it is in the process of devising its own trade policy, one that will shape economic and welfare outcomes in all corners of the United Kingdom for generations.
At the same time, international trade is changing rapidly and becoming more complex with the world trading system facing major challenges such as COVID-19, trade wars, disruptive digital technology and climate change. Formulating an effective trade policy that delivers something for all parts of society in such circumstances requires an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach, which the Centre aims to provide.
The Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy, the first centre dedicated to trade policy to be funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), is built on the precept that trade policy should be inclusive in both policy formulation and outcome and focuses on four dimensions of inclusiveness: geography, political domains, society and generations. In addition, the Centre itself is inclusive with researchers in all four UK nations, in five disciplines and at all stages of their careers, and with a commitment to hear the voices of all parts of UK society.
In addition to the University of Nottingham, the Centre brings together researchers from all four UK nations – including from the University of Sussex, the University of Strathclyde, Queen’s University Belfast, Cardiff University and the University of Cambridge – and several overseas universities to create the UK’s first interdisciplinary research centre in international trade. The team comprises scholars from economics, law, business management, politics and international relations.
Led by Professors L. Alan Winters and Michael Gasiorek at the University of Sussex Business School with Professor Giovanni Facchini of the University of Nottingham as deputy director, the Centre is supported by an £8 million grant from the ESRC and by funding from its contributing universities. It is one of six new national centres funded by the ESRC designed to tackle urgent social and economic issues and provide robust research evidence to support government decision making.
The team based at the University of Nottingham, led by Professor Giovanni Facchini, includes Professor Facundo Albornoz, Dr Alejandro Graziano, Professor Giammario Impullitti, Professor Richard Kneller, Professor Andres Rodriguez Clare, Professor Cecilia Testa, Dr Yuan Tian and Dr Zhihong Yu. Researchers will work on a range of questions, such as: the long-term, general equilibrium effects of trade on the UK economy, the impact of multinational production on climate change, and the effectiveness of trade adjustment assistance programs on public support for trade liberalisation.
Professor Winters, Professor of Economics at the University of Sussex Business School, said: “International trade accounts for nearly a third of UK output and a third of what it consumes. Our research suggests that perhaps 6.5 million jobs are linked directly or indirectly to exporting. The country needs a ‘go-to’ location, both intellectually and for policy formulation. By bringing a diverse group of excellent researchers together, the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy aims to equip the UK with the capability to formulate and implement a trade policy tailored to the needs of the whole of the UK.”
In addition to the universities, the Centre will work with nine partners including Ernst & Young LLP (EY), Fieldfisher LLP, the International Trade Group of the Professional and Business Services Council, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Trade Justice Movement and trade officials in all four UK administrations. It will undertake consultation and societal deliberation via citizen’s juries, to ensure that its programme is relevant to the needs of UK business, society and policymakers.
In particular, the Centre’s objectives include:
• Conduct frontier disciplinary and interdisciplinary research into international trade and policy
• Create a critical mass of expertise by integrating excellent scholars from several disciplines and all parts of the UK
• Create a body of data and innovative methods
• Apply research skills to pressing practical trade problems, including some identified by a broad societal consultation (citizens’ juries) among stakeholders and the public.
• Work extensively to inform public debate, so that the relevance of trade to economic management is clear and the trade-offs that it inevitably entails are more widely appreciated.
• Engage with a wide range of policymakers and stakeholders.
• Create a legacy in terms of a permanent wide-spread capacity to conduct first-rate research, analysis and policy-making practices in international trade in UK academia, officialdom and business.
The Centre will also run a competition for funds for early and mid-career researchers who are not part of the Centre team but who offer innovative proposals within international trade policy. This is a key part of the Centre’s plan to build long-term capacity for trade policy development and analysis.
Professor Gasiorek, Centre co-director and Professor of Economics at the University of Sussex, said: “Our aim is to help to equip the UK with an effective and equitable trade policy. The Centre will build permanent capacity by developing a community of scholars and practitioners with the knowledge, skills and mutual understanding to develop robust trade policy in a changing world. Its work will benefit the whole of UK society, enhancing environmental sustainability and social equity.”
“The new Centre fits perfectly into our strategic plans, exemplifying research with impact in making research accessible in order to solve the grand issues of our time, and building on strengths in enhancing and building upon Sussex’s long-held reputation for specialism and expertise in international trade.”
The centre includes researchers from:
University of Sussex
University of Nottingham
University of Strathclyde
Queen’s University Belfast
Cardiff University
University of Cambridge
European University Institute
Georgetown University
Tel Aviv University
University of California, Berkeley
Space Park Leicester opens doors to community
Science was brought to life for children from two schools during an open day at Space Park Leicester aimed at inspiring the next generation of space pioneers.
Youngsters watched experiments, did some 3D printing, played a carbon footprint game and experienced thermal imaging at the event held on Friday, November 26, to celebrate the £100million research, innovation and teaching hub home to space-related high-tech companies and researchers.
Members of the public also attended an open evening featuring presentations, guided tours and stands from organisations, including the National Centre for Earth Observation and the nearby National Space Centre.
Leicester West MP Liz Kendall, who was also given a tour of the building, said: “This centre is really important for Leicester, Leicestershire and the country too because there is a huge growth potential in space science and jobs in this sector. If we want to grow our country and give everyone a chance of a better life, investing in something like the Space Park is really important.”
Space Park Leicester is led by the University of Leicester in partnership with Leicester City Council and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP).
Dr Suzie Imber, Associate Professor in Space Physics at the University of Leicester, led a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outreach workshop involving a water rocket experiment. She said: “You don’t have to be a scientist to be in the space industry, we need a whole range of people, such as engineers and technicians. We need people thinking about how we design the spacecraft of the future and how we keep people alive in space. It’s about the broader aspect of the space community.”
More than 70 Year 6 pupils from the local Inglehurst Junior School and over 60 Year 5 children from Queensmead Primary Academy, also located nearby, attended a series of workshops to put science into practice and learn about space exploration.
They also got the opportunity to learn about Leicester’s role in the development of the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA’s largest and most powerful science telescope ever constructed which is set to launch in December.
Elizabeth Peutherer, a teacher at Queensmead Primary Academy, said: “We are learning about space at school and the visit was about how those skills are used in reality and to broaden their learning. Letting them see and give them some ambition, showing them that that science isn’t just something they learn about at school, can really make a difference. Space Park Leicester is only 10 minutes down the road from where we are and it’s amazing to be so close.”
Most of the children said launching water rockets 50 metres into the air was the best experiment.
Pupil Keanna Ngwenya, aged nine, said: “I thought it was amazing. It was so exciting, I will tell my mum about everything I did. My favourite part was launching the water rockets outside.”
Nine-year-old Arjun Singh added: “Launching the rockets was the best bit. I learned that the water bears can live in boiling water or freezing water or in space.”
In the evening, the centre opened its doors to the local community, with residents having the chance to learn about the projects being conducted and visit the labs that will be used for satellite design and build.
John Sharpe and his wife Val, who lives in nearby Sudeley Avenue, attended the evening. He said: “It’s absolutely brilliant. I have watched it from the start. Our children attended the old John Ellis School, which used to be there before. It’s amazing to have this on our doorstep.”
Derbyshire firm to create 100 jobs after winning major HS2 ‘green tunnels’ contract
Derbyshire-based Stanton Precast Ltd has been awarded a major contract to deliver three innovative ‘green tunnels’ for HS2 in a move that is set to create up to 100 local jobs.
Four miles worth of tunnel will be built in thousands of sections at the Ilkeston factory before being shipped to site and assembled at three locations in rural Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, to reduce disruption and improve efficiency.
The first green tunnel will stretch for one-and-a-half miles (2.5km) past the village of Chipping Warden in Northamptonshire with assembly due to begin on site early next year. Once complete, the structures will be covered with earth and landscaped to blend in with the surrounding countryside.
For the Chipping Warden tunnel more than 5,020 individual tunnel segments will be produced by Stanton as part of the contract awarded by HS2’s main works contractor, EKFB – a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial and BAM Nuttall. They will work with specialist engineers Matière who have been appointed to install the tunnel segments on site.
The contract win is a major boost for Stanton Precast Ltd, which employs around 180 people at their Ilkeston factory and has enabled the firm to increase their workforce by around 50%. New production sheds, casting and storage areas are also being built at the factory to accommodate the new work. In total Stanton will produce more than 13,290 tunnel segments to form the three green tunnels.
EKFB director, Peter Bimson, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for all involved to demonstrate engineering excellence and leave a legacy that improves people’s lives. The Chipping Warden ‘Green Tunnel’ is a demonstrable feat. It combines a myriad of innovative techniques, from promoting safety by taking the construction process off site to delivering an end-product that will benefit the surrounding environment.
“This off-site manufacturing is the result of the collaboration between some exceptional teams, using international engineering expertise.”
Stanton Precast Ltd’s Managing Director, Colin Richardson, said: “We are extremely pleased to be involved in this major project and with the opportunities it delivers for both us and those in our immediate supply chain. Having targeted the HS2 project over 4 years ago as an opportunity to not only grow our business but also provide a legacy for future manufacturing in the East Midlands, this contract delivers on both and is the culmination of a lot of hard work.”
Designed as a double arch, the tunnel will have two separate halves for southbound and northbound trains. Five different concrete precast segments will be slotted together to achieve the double arch – one central pier, two side walls and two roof slabs. Each one will be steel reinforced, with the largest weighing up to 43 tonnes.
The Chipping Warden tunnel will be built in sections, with construction expected to be fully complete in 2024. A relief road has also recently been completed, which will take HS2 vehicles – and other local traffic – away from the centre of the village.
The Chipping Warden tunnel will be followed by two similar structures at Wendover in Buckinghamshire and Greatworth in Northamptonshire.
Midlands manufacturers join forces to inspire national manufacturing revolution
Over 50 of the Midlands’ leading manufacturers met in Leicester today (30 November) to discuss the sector’s role in levelling up the UK. Boosting manufacturing has a key role in creating regional growth, reducing geographical inequality, leading to higher productivity and better wages for all.
The Midlands is the leading location for UK manufacturing, with 25,270 businesses and 555,820 existing jobs in the sector, equalling 12.5% of total employment – a much higher percentage than the national average.
Key themes emerging from the conference included:
- The UK has been allowed to become too regionally unequal, in large part due to the decline of regional manufacturing
- Revolutionising manufacturing will bring growth, productivity and better jobs to regions like the Midlands, and also the whole country beyond London and the South East
Engineering consultancy expands team with double hire
Nottingham-based engineering consultancy, Howard Ward Associates (HWA), has expanded its team with two new hires.
Theodora Francis joins the firm as a senior civil engineer, alongside Nadeem Chaudhry as senior technician.
From its office in Nottingham, HWA delivers construction engineering consultancy services across the country, and works in a range of sectors and specialities including education, residential, healthcare, emergency services and solar PV.
In her new role, Theodora will be providing detailed civil engineering design solutions including securing approvals from governing bodies in response to development proposals. She is a graduate member of ICE and has a BEng (Hons) degree in civil engineering from Plymouth University.
With 14 years’ experience in the industry, Theodora specialises in designing private and adoptable highways, external works and drainage schemes for residential developments, care homes and commercial schemes.
Newly appointed senior technician Nadeem Chaudhry will be involved in handling large scale projects within HWA’s portfolio and will utilise his technical skills and knowledge to successfully deliver schemes in a range of sectors.
Nadeem has more than 30 years of experience in his field and has developed a great expertise in 3D building modelling and coordination for multiple types of structures and buildings.
The new hires are joining the team as HWA’s portfolio of work continues to expand locally and nationally including housing, residential and commercial schemes including some worthwhile city centre regeneration.
Dan Bailey, director at Howard Ward Associates, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Theodora and Nadeem to the team, they each possess a wealth of experience and talent in their own field of expertise which will be hugely valuable to the company. We work together as a close-knit team and view our staff as our greatest asset.
“Our work is extremely varied and we’re proud to have successfully delivered projects which call on our technical expertise and have supported both our local communities in the East Midlands and further afield.
“We’re pleased to be introducing Theodora and Nadeem to the exciting projects we are currently working on, and wish them every success in their new roles.”
The firm was recently appointed by Ineco Energy to deliver a major solar PV project at 41 sites across Coventry, as part of a wider decarbonisation scheme which will deliver carbon reductions and renewable energy generation improvements at various council-owned sites; such as sports facilities, schools, office buildings, cemeteries and country park visitor centres.
£4.8m funding boost for Derbyshire solar energy business
Custom Solar, which specialises in the design, development, installation, and maintenance of commercial rooftop solar systems throughout the UK, has secured £4.8m in new lending from Virgin Money to accelerate its growth ambitions.
Based in Chesterfield, the business is behind the largest rooftop commercial installation in the country, fitting 21,000 solar panels at the Port of Hull, which will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 1,400 tonnes every year.
The success of this and other projects has opened up further growth opportunities and with financial support from Virgin Money, it’s giving the business flexibility to target bigger designs and installations across its corporate and public sector customers.
Custom Solar was founded in 2011 and over the last 10 years the team has grown to 30 people, who travel to customers all over the UK. With the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, it’s seeing an increase in customers moving towards sustainable business improvements and taking advantage of the incentives available when investing in renewable energy.
Gary Sucharewycz, Chief Executive Officer, Custom Solar, said “We are extremely pleased with the facility that will now be in place with Virgin Money. This will support and accelerate our ever-growing 200MW pipeline of solar projects that the company is securing. We wanted to match our growth and ambition for the future with a tangible financial facility that will accelerate our ability to complete projects at an expedient rate. This will not only be a benefit to our clientele but to our planet.”
Custom Solar scored highly on Virgin Money’s Sustainable Business Coach, a recently launched free app designed to help businesses be more sustainable by measuring, tracking and offering guidance on improving their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials.
Gary said: “We were really pleased that the results of the Sustainable Business Coach demonstrated the high standards of our internal sustainability credentials. The Coach was really easy to use and enabled us to look at our own business, providing the encouragement that we are not only doing good by the work we do, but by the way we operate. We are committed to staying on top of our own carbon footprint.”
Virgin Money has committed to halving the carbon emissions across everything it finances by 2030.
David Burgess, Director, Business Network, at Virgin Money, said: “Renewable energy is a vital part of our energy sources and we want to support sustainable organisations to help them grow and thrive. Custom Solar has been on quite a journey since its inception, with notable commercial projects that have demonstrated what the team is capable of. We are looking forward to working with the business as it accelerates its growth strategy, offering the financial backing it needs to deliver and exceed its customers’ expectations.”
Custom Solar was advised by BHP Corporate Finance, with a team led by Partner, Kevin Davies, and Tim Brind, Director.
Kevin said: “We are delighted to have been able to support Custom Solar on this next step in its exciting development. It is a fantastic business that sits right at the heart of the current environmental narrative, supporting UK business in its drive for sustainable energy sources.”
Bridge Help launches Christmas fundraising appeal for Chesterfield Foodbank
With an ambitious new target, Bridge Help has launched its annual Christmas fundraising appeal for Chesterfield Foodbank.
Last year, the bridging loan company donated £1500 worth of food and toiletries to Chesterfield Foodbank. This year the company wants to do even better and is hoping to donate at least £2021 of goods to the local food bank.
Bridge Help is now appealing to the local business community to donate money or drop off donations of tinned goods, toiletries, nappies and luxuries, including biscuits, chocolates, crisps, mince pies and Christmas cakes and puddings at its offices on Old Brick Works Lane off Sheffield Road.
Bridge Help will match all donations before delivering to the Chesterfield Foodbank warehouse in Sheepbridge ahead of Christmas. Donations can be dropped off at the office until Wednesday 15 December.
The annual charity fundraising campaign is organised by Phoebe Sellars, a Business Development Manager at Bridge Help and also a trustee of Chesterfield Citizens Advice.
Phoebe explained: “Being a trustee of Chesterfield Citizens Advice I am aware of the financial hardship many people experience and working for Bridge Help I am in a position to do something practical that will help people in need over the Christmas period.
“Last year Chesterfield’s business community was incredibly generous enabling us to donate a total of £1500 of food and toiletries to Chesterfield Food Bank. We want to do even better this year and ensure that more people can enjoy Christmas.”
Roisin O’Gorman, Deputy Project Coordinator at Chesterfield Foodbank, added: “Since the start of the pandemic the Foodbank has provided food to over 9000 people, with a third of those sadly being children.
“With the end of the universal credit uplift, increased heating costs and the government furlough scheme ending, we anticipate that even more people will have to turn to foodbanks. We need donations now more than ever, so please consider donating to the foodbank. Your kind donations will enable us to keep supporting local people in crisis who cannot afford the basic essentials. No one should have to go hungry.”
Phoebe added: “The team and I will be working around tins, cartons of long-life milk, toothpaste and boxes of biscuits in the office for a few weeks, but it’s something we are all happy to do knowing what a difference the donation will make to so many people in the area this Christmas.”
Chesterfield Foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust, the UK’s largest network of food banks. Last December Chesterfield Foodbank fed 488 people in crisis.
To make a donation to the Bridge Help Chesterfield Foodbank Christmas appeal, contact Phoebe Sellars on 033 3303 4681 or email phoebe@bridgehelp.co.uk
Free money saving advice for Blaby businesses
Businesses in Blaby District will be able to benefit from free advice by a money-saving consultancy, in a project funded by Blaby District Council.
At a time when running costs are rising and financial pressures continue to be felt by small businesses, the Council has teamed up with Place Support Partnership, a consultancy who have worked with businesses across the country to identify money saving opportunities.
From card machine fees to gas, water, and electricity, the service will be completely free for any businesses who receive advice on reducing their running costs.
Funded by Welcome Back Funding, which the Council successfully bid for from Central Government and the European Regional Development Fund to support all businesses in the district, the move is part of Blaby District Council’s commitment to help its local centres recover following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Blaby District Council Leader, Councillor Terry Richardson, attended the launch with Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, and Rishi Rood, Managing Director of Place Support Partnership, at Blaby Town Centre-based Barry Botts Jewellers.
Councillor Sharon Coe, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing, Community Engagement and Business Support, said: “I am delighted to help launch this new service. It is still so important that we continue our support for small businesses in the district whilst they recover from the difficult 18 months we have all experienced.
“We hope that the support and advice given will see big financial savings for our local businesses and look forward to working with Place Support Partnership on this service.”
Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, said: “Small businesses are the backbone of our local and national economy, however the last 18 months or so has been particularly difficult for so many up and down the country, hence why I am very pleased to see that Blaby District Council are launching this new service to help support businesses in South Leicestershire.
“I am sure many will benefit from this new money saving advice service, and I should like to thank Blaby District Council for once again being proactive in supporting local businesses as we continue our recovery from the Covid pandemic.”
East Midlands is the UK’s least lonely region for business leaders
The East Midlands has the fewest business leaders currently experiencing loneliness, new research by law firm Shakespeare Martineau has revealed.
Bosses from the region also reported feeling the least alone during the coronavirus pandemic, with 57% saying they were not at all isolated – compared to other areas where up to 63% claimed feelings of loneliness or isolation.
One thousand senior decision-makers in UK businesses were surveyed by Censuswide on behalf of Shakespeare Martineau as part of its annual Ambition Index*.
More than a quarter of the region’s bosses also spoke about how nothing is holding them back as leaders.
Duncan James, partner and regional head of Shakespeare Martineau in the East Midlands, said: “It is really interesting to hear that senior decision-makers in our region felt the least lonely during Covid and it is positive to see this continue as we emerge from the pandemic. This continues to show what a great place to work the East Midlands is.”
When given a list of options of what could be holding them back as a leader, the majority of respondents (26%) selected nothing – the highest region in England. Maintaining a work-life balance and a shortage of time placed joint-second, with 21% selecting these options.
Only 10% of respondents chose confidence, making the East Midlands the region least affected by a lack of optimism.
Duncan said: “It is extremely positive to see bosses from the East Midlands currently feeling so confident and that there is nothing getting in the way of their leadership.
“Over the past three decades, the region has experienced many setbacks with major industries disappearing, which has negatively affected thousands of people in the East Midlands. They have already navigated many choppy waters, so are perhaps more used to economic disruption compared to other regions.
“Leaders have had to be confident in themselves in order to be successful and this optimism has paid off, with the region now boasting many major international players, British household brands and innovative start-ups.”
Almost 40% of East Midlands business leaders will be investing more in their business in 2022 than this past year. However, 29% of respondents say they are not planning to invest or hoping to grow their businesses at all.
IT (31%) and technology (29%) topped the list of resources bosses will be investing in, followed by talent and learning and development (21%), and product development (17%). Of those leaders who are wanting to grow their businesses, the majority (24%) say they plan on doing this via cash from directors. This was closely followed by organic growth and joint ventures (17%), and bank debt (16%).
Duncan said: “I suspect some leaders think that because interest rates are so low, growing via debt money is a much easier option than sharing ownership of a business or equity investment. However, there’s an argument for both and leaders should be thinking more openly – looking at the whole gambit of investment rather than simply what they are used to. It’s important for leaders to take advice from trusted advisors who can deliver professional counsel to ensure they are making the right decisions for their business to be successful.”
