The Wales Innovation Relay Centre

The Wales Innovation Relay Centre (WIRC) plays a major role in helping companies in Wales promote their technologies and products throughout Europe and develop new products and services via transnational technology transfer.

Established in 1994, the Wales IRC is one of a Europe-wide network of centres set up by the European Commission. There are currently 71 IRCs in 33 countries - in Europe, Chile and Israel with over 240 organisations involved.

Although some funding is received from the EU's Innovation Programme, members of the network depend on support from regional organisations such as chambers of commerce and development agencies. The Wales IRC is hosted and part-funded by the Welsh Assembly Government where it is part of the Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks.

All but one of the centre's nine staff are based in Cardiff, from where case officers help companies and researchers throughout Wales. They boast a wide range of experience, including engineering manufacture, materials, healthcare, biotechnology, environment, energy, aquaculture, marine systems, agrifood, economics, and information and communications technology (ICT). The ninth member of the team is based in in St Asaph, North Wales.

IRC manager Sandra Lopes says the centre's role "is to alert companies and research organisations to emerging technologies and encourage them to promote their own technological advancements." The IRC, she explains, "offers help throughout the technology transfer process - from making the initial contact and identifying technology profiles, through to finding European partners and assisting with contract negotiations."

Penny Woodman - a case officer whose expertise lies in materials and engineering - assisted a small Welsh company, E2L Ltd to exploit 3 new industrial instrumentation technologies into Belgium and France. E2L participated in an IRC Technology Brokerage event at the Hannover Trade Fair where they met with Index Belge to try and solve a specific technology problem. Whilst this was not possible it was immediately obvious that the companies had several areas of common interest, and technical samples were exchanged for evaluation. According to Penny: "We helped them to enter Technology Offers in the brokerage event catalogue, select meetings, attend the Trade Fair and finally to travel to Belgium to conclude their agreements with Index Belge."

The Wales IRC also helps Welsh firms participate in specialised brokerage events in trade fairs such as Medica, an annual event held each November in Dusseldorf. In 2005, the Welsh company DTR, signed franchise agreements with German company, Labotect and American company, Micromedics as a result of attending Medica in 2004.

In addition to helping companies and others in Wales participate in events on the continent - by representing, assisting, advising and/or funding them - the Wales IRC also organises brokerage events in Wales. One such event is BioWales , a Conference and Brokerage event held annually in Cardiff. It provides an opportunity to showcase research and commercial activities from Welsh based bioscience companies and academic institutions and attracts representatives from industry, academia and government in the UK. The most recent BioWales event was held in March 2006 at the Vale Hotel & Spa, Cardiff. The Relay team also hosted a Medical Thematics Team Meeting for its European members prior to the event.

Besides encouraging technology transfer the WIRC receives additional funds from the WDA so that it can help with applications for funding under EU research and development programmes. "There are substantial benefits for any company or organisation involved in European research," insists Sandra Lopes," including accessing new networks, developing new and innovative products and entering new markets."

The EU's main R&D initiative is the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), which was officially launched in January 2003 and will be replaced by the Seventh Framework Programme which will run from 2007-2013. The European Commission is particularly anxious that small and medium-sized companies should participate in the programme and WIRC staff encourage local organisations to take part in this wide-ranging, multi-billion euro initiative. IRC case officers can obtain documentation and help with writing proposals and finding suitable partners.

Information is critical to the centre's success, enabling it to identify companies and other organisations that might benefit from help, and - for those who decide to use the WIRC's services - finding appropriate technologies and partners. Julie Morgan is the WIRC's information scientist, responsible for producing the monthly Tech Alert bulletin of business opportunities and for compiling and maintaining many of the centre's directories and databases.

"Tech Alert" says Julie, "is our monthly eBulletin", distributed free to more than 3,000 contacts. It provides details of technology offers, requests and partner searches received from the IRC network and other sources. Anyone interested in an item can contact us for further details." All opportunities are listed on the WIRC website, where users can search for relevant offers and advertise their own needs. An email alert system allows information about relevant items to be received automatically.

The centre also contacts companies direct. "From the many new opportunities received daily", explains Julie, "we try to contact our clients directly if we think something may be of interest to them. Although we tend to focus on small and medium-sized technology-oriented companies, our services are also used by large companies, research institutes, universities, technology centres and innovation agencies."

The other publication produced by the Centre is Advances, a quarterly technology transfer journal which highlights new developments in science, engineering and technology from Wales. If you want to subscribe to this free journal please contact Julie (Julie.morgan@wales.gsi.gov.uk).

Contact:

Cardiff - Head Office

Wales Innovation Relay Centre
Welsh Assembly Government
Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks
Plas Glyndwr
Kingsway
Cardiff
CF10 3AH
029 2082 8863
029 2036 8229
sue.boyd@wales.gsi.gov.uk

St Asaph WDA Offices

Wales Innovation Relay Centre
Welsh Assembly Government
Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks
Unit 7, St Asaph Business Park
Ffordd Richard Davies
ST ASAPH
LL17 0LJ

Website: http://www.walesrelay.co.uk/