Knowledge Exploitation Fund KEF

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Knowledge Exploitation Fund (KEF)

• Creating New Wealth for Wales

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What is the Knowledge Exploitation Fund?

• The knowledge and expertise held within the
  universities and further education colleges of
  Wales has been identified as a vastly under-used
  economic resource.
• The Welsh Assembly Government has set up the
  Knowledge Exploitation Fund (KEF), managed by
  ELWa and supported by European Union structural
  funds, with the aim of ensuring the effective
  exploitation of knowledge, research and
  development within higher and further education
  institutions for the benefit of the Welsh economy.

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The Five Strands of KEF

• 1. ENTREPRENEURSHIP
• Generate an entrepreneurial Culture
• 2. TRAINING
• Boost skill levels in Welsh industry
• 3. STAFF DEVELOPMENT
• Expand the skills of lecturers and
  researchers
• 4. COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION
• Accelerate commercial exploitation of ideas
• 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
• Transfer technology to SMEs

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European Support for KEF
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Strand 1 EntrepreneurshipGenerating an
entrepreneurial Culture

• Entrepreneurship is widely recognised as a key
  factor in business success. KEF will help
  develop a new generation of Welsh entrepreneurs
  through training for both students and academic
  staff. Entrepreneurship champions are being
  appointed as agents of change, to embed a culture
  of entrepreneurship throughout each institution.
  Budding entrepreneurs will be awarded
  scholarships to found dynamic new enterprises.

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Strand 1 EntrepreneurshipGenerating an
entrepreneurial Culture

• Entrepreneurship Champions in all Further and
  Higher Education Institutions
• Entrepreneurship Audits
• Entrepreneurship scholarships available
• - Students/ recent graduates
• - Submit business plan to EC
• - allowance of 144/week for 36 weeks (5184)
• Entrepreneurship strategy and operational plan to
  increase the number of students who on completing
  their education then start a business

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Strand 2 Boosting Skill Levels in Welsh Industry

• To maintain a competitive edge, businesses must
  plan for the continuing professional development
  (CPD) of their staff to meet the requirements of
  advances in technology. Through the knowledge
  and expertise of their teaching staff,
  universities and colleges are uniquely
  well-placed to deliver a wide range of these
  training products to industry. KEF aims to
  provide a boost to institutions to enhance
  current provision and further develop
  infrastructure required to support work based
  training.

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Strand 2 Boosting Skill Levels in Welsh Industry

• KEF will provide support for
• institutions to develop a strategy and
  operational plan to provide an increased
  portfolio of training for industry
• industry specific training consortia
• the development of multimedia training solutions
  for technology transfer
• training for innovation management in
  institutions and industry

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Strand 3 Staff DevelopmentExpanding the skills
of lecturers and researchers

• KEF will provide support for
• Master classes in entrepreneurship
• Master classes in innovation management
• Placement of lecturers and researchers into
  industry and placement of SME staff into research
  establishments.
• Advanced technology training for staff in
  technology transfer centres

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Strand 4 Commercial ExploitationAccelerate
commercial exploitation of ideas

• Within Welsh educational institutions, untapped
  reserves of patentable ideas are waiting to be
  put to use. KEF will help mine this valuable
  resource, supporting patent applications,
  activities concerned with proof of concept and
  pilot projects for commercialisation.
  Partnerships with local SMEs will be developed
  to bring these new ideas to market.

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Strand 4 Commercial ExploitationAccelerate
commercial exploitation of ideas

• STAGE ONE
• IPR / technology reviews
• Evaluate potential for commercial development
• STAGE TWO
• Patent costs
• Patent searches, applications, renewals
• Product development
• proof of concept
• Market research
• Pilot projects
• pre market place developments

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Strand 5 Technology TransferTransfer
Technology to SMEs

• To play their part in economic regeneration,
  institutions must tailor technology provision to
  the needs of industry in Wales. KEF will fund
  technology centres serving key industry sectors.
  Sector-specific networks for SMEs will be
  supported to stimulate information exchange,
  dissemination of best practice and collaboration.

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Strand 5 Technology TransferTransfer
Technology to SMEs

• STAGE ONE
• Technology reviews/feasibility studies to
• Inform future investment
• Identify projects and partners
• Assess market

• STAGE TWO
• Technology Transfer centres
• premises
• equipment
• Knowledge experts
• Industry networks
• Incubator centres

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Key Targetsto be achieved by 31st December 2002

• Entrepreneurship training
• - 10,000 students
• - 570 lecturers
• 200 entrepreneurship scholarships
• Train 7000 employees
• Register 15 patents
• 100 collaborative projects
• 20 spinout companies
• 10 new technology centres
• Assist 3300 companies
• 840 business start-ups

• Entrepreneurship training for
• - 3,500 students
• - 460 lecturers
• 115 entrepreneurship scholarships
• 5,500 employees
• 2 patents
• 15 collaborative projects
• 2 spinout companies
• 0 new technology centres
• 40 companies
• to be evaluated

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For Further information
www.kef-wales.org.uk

• Rhiannon Pearce
• KEF
• Linden Court, The Orchards
• Ilex Close, Llanishen
• CARDIFF CF14 5DZ
• Tel. [phone]
• Darren Bevan
• KEF Marketing Executive
• Tel. [phone]
• Mobile [phone]
• e-mail bevand_at_elwa.org.uk