BioCity Nottingham will help 32 ambitious UK and European life science entrepreneurs to start their business journeys when the fourth Annual Bio-Entrepreneur School kicks-off on Wednesday 10th March 2010. For the first time, delegates from Germany, Italy and Sweden will travel to Nottingham to take part in the popular three-day programme which has become a highlight of the UK bio-science calendar. 

Now in its fourth year, the Bio-Entrepreneur School takes place at BioCity Nottingham on Pennyfoot Street and is led by a team from BioCity and the enterprise development training company QED Consulting Limited. Delegates have been chosen from over 60 applicants on the strength of their idea and desire to succeed. The intensive programme is a high-octane mix of personal development, business planning and funding pitch experience which will make or break delegates ambitions to become seriously successful bio-science entrepreneurs. 

Several business ideas have the potential to grow into significant long-term wealth generators. They cover oral hygiene, therapies for infectious diseases and cancers, research into genetic disorders, and the use of bioinformatics to manage and analyse complex biological data. 

The Bio-Entrepreneur School is sponsored by a number of leading organisations with an interest in developing the bioscience sector. New senior sponsor Deloitte joins the existing senior sponsors AstraZeneca and Nottingham City Council. Other sponsors include intellectual property experts Adamson Jones, Connect Midlands, a not-for-profit network that supports technology and high growth companies to gain investment, and UK Trade and Investment, who support companies wishing to trade overseas. 

Deloitte Senior Partner Mark Doleman said: “BioCity has established itself as a centre of excellence for the bioscience sector.  The Bio-Entrepreneur School, which this year has been opened up to delegates from neighbouring European countries, adds further credence to its growing international reputation for supporting and nurturing businesses in what is an extremely important sector for the region’s economy.” 

BioCity Incubation Manager, Nick Gostick comments: “The international interest in this year’s Bio-Entrepreneur School is an exciting development and reflects the strong credibility of the School’s content, sponsors and delivery partners. Delegates will be encouraged to remain in contact with BioCity as their ideas develop. They can join the Germinator project and also benefit from one-to-one clinics provided by firms such as our sponsors Adamson Jones, Deloitte and Connect East Midlands.” ENDS

Media enquiries:Andrew Third, Integra Communications Ltd,   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Notes to Editors: 

1. BioEntrepreneur SchoolFull information on the School is available at www.bioentrepreneur.co.uk Press passes for the Meet-the-Entrepreneur Reception available from Integra Communications on 0115 912 4350 
2. Bio- Entrepreneur School Sponsors:

Senior Sponsors:

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of meaningful prescription medicines and supplier for healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of US$ 31.6 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease medicines.  For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: www.astrazeneca.com

Delloite LLP are a world leading professional services firm offering a wide range of services across audit and assurance, tax and consulting.  Deloitte in the Midlands have a broad range of experience serving life sciences businesses at all stages of development and across all their disciplines.  Within the East Midlands Deloitte are a significant partner for local businesses and have a keen focus on the entrepreneur across all industry specialisms. www.deloitte.co.uk

Nottingham City Council. Nottingham was designated as a Science City in 2005 in recognition of its rich scientific heritage, industrial base and role as a leading research centre. Nottingham has since embarked on a wide range of business, property, knowledge transfer and educational initiatives (www.science-city.co.uk) in order to build on its growing reputation as an international centre of scientific excellence. Nottingham City Council is a partner in Nottingham: the Science City. 

Other Sponsors:

AdamsonJones is a forward-looking, client-focused patent and trade mark firm offering a full range of intellectual property services in the UK, Europe and throughout the world.  Based at BioCity Nottingham, we specialise in helping companies in the bioscience sector add value to their businesses through the creation and development of a strong IP portfolio. www.adamson-jones.co.uk

Connect Midlands is a not-for-profit network, that supports technology and high growth companies to gain investment through training and mentoring, investment showcasing, and networking between businesses, investors and the professional services community in the Midlands. www.connectmidlands.org

UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that provides integrated support services for UK companies engaged in overseas trade and foreign enterprises seeking to locate in the UK. It brings together the work of teams in British embassies and FCO posts overseas and government departments across Whitehall. In England, international trade support is coordinated by nine International Trade Directors working in partnership with each Regional Development Agency. UK Trade & Investment services are delivered locally through a network of International Trade Teams.  For more information visit the websitehttp://www.emids.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/ 

Delivery Partners:

BioCity Nottingham Ltd was launched in 2003. The company develops and operates bioscience and healthcare-related incubation and innovation facilities. The first facility opened in September 2003, and Phase 3 in the form of grow-on space, opened in October 2008. BioCity is currently home to 66 fast-growing companies, including R&D and business support services. BioCity was founded by Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and East Midlands Development Agency. www.biocity.co.uk

QED Consulting works with a wide range of public and private sector clients across the UK and Europe, enabling them to improve and enhance their organisations, people and operations. QED Consulting has grown in size year upon year since its formation in 1993, by Steve Hinton (Executive Chairman) and Jeremy Thorn (President). The main office is in Doncaster, South Yorkshire and is accompanied by a base in London. Whilst working with all sectors it is QED's mission to help improve the performance of organisations and effectiveness of their people. www.qedconsulting.co.uk

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