Under the recently announced 'Impact Acceleration Account' agreement between the University of Surrey and National Physical Laboratory, an event was held on 12 December 2012 at NPL showcasing the Surrey research capability in the emerging scientific and technological sector of 'Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Nanomaterials' with a focus on process and the measurements needed for materials and manufacturing.

Launch event for University of Surrey and NPL's new
Impact Acceleration Account

The purpose of this industry-academic event was to foster outreach and business impact from research. The Surrey Impact Acceleration Account is funded by the EPSRC and is managed in partnership with NPL. It is designed to unlock organisations' potential by providing easy mechanisms to make best use of the capabilities stored within the University of Surrey and NPL.

The Surrey IAA can provide your organisation with a range of opportunities including:

• Innovative research outputs and the capability to match industrial needs
• Access to funding for Pilot Projects and Demonstrator Programmes
• Increased speed and reduced costs of innovation via industry/academic exchange
• Access to a wide range of laboratory facilities and academic expertise

At the launch event, over 50 delegates heard academic and business-orientated talks, and toured the NPL facilities. Delegates included interested commercial and public bodies like Johnson-Matthey, BAES, PragmatIC Printing, and the Home Office, along with strong teams from the Universities of Cambridge, Sheffield, and Imperial College London. Students from several universities presented research posters, and the academics present reported that many potential research collaborations or funding opportunities were discovered.

NPL and the University of Surrey will continue to accelerate the process of making an impact from academic research.

Contact: Tim Jones