Accelerating UK - India Innovation Partnerships
March 2011: Reflections from the ACTIV workshops
Accelerated Commercialization of Technology and InnoVation (ACTIV) workshops
ACTIV workshops seek to transfer the experience and key lessons learnt in science-based entrepreneurship from Cambridge, UK to India. Run over 2-days, each ACTIV workshop has a sharp focus on science & technology entrepreneurship and the nucleation and creation of new enterprises. ACTIV workshops seek to equip scientists and researchers, technology entrepreneurs, managers and key staff members of Business Incubators and STEPs with key skills and practical insights to help take technology based ideas to market.
The Cambridge Advantage
Cambridge, UK has a long, successful track record of building successful technology based businesses from the University of Cambridge and other local research organizations to become Europe’s premier high technology cluster. As a result, there is a wealth of accumulated expertise in building new businesses that are underpinned by a strong science and technology base. This expertise, built on understanding how to commercialize research projects, is very relevant to the Indian context where researchers, local entrepreneurs and incubation centres face similar issues and challenges in getting their ideas and innovations to market.
WWithin the context of Cambridge’s entrepreneurial cluster, AcceleratorIndia has been established to draw on the wealth of expertise and insights to build global businesses underpinned by a strong technology/IP. AcceleratorIndia draws on the experience of its founders and immediate networks, all of whom have incubated and built complex businesses that are based on strong IP and not dependent on IP. Founded by Prof Shai Vyakarnam, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, AcceleratorIndia now brings the Cambridge advantage to create new Indian technology businesses.
ACTIV workshops, while based on the deep insights of technology venturing for the past 20+ years, will be embedded within the Venture Center context to establish a strong local ecosystem for entrepreneurs who can benefit from the facilities, reach and connections that are available locally.
Organizers & Sponsors
Organized jointly by Venture Center & Accelerator India, ACTIV workshops have strong support from NCL/CSIR, DST-NSTEDB, British High Commission & UK-India Business Council whose financial and material contributions have made the workshops a reality!
