iXscient is able to provide a seamless linked set of services which enable commercial companies and academic partners to successfully participate in, achieve success with  and exploit their research and development programmes.

Services

iXscient has a very successful track record in helping organize and set up international consortia of commercial companies and academic groups and collaborate with them to write and submit major proposals for R&D projects. These include EU 6th framework Integrated Projects, STREPS and NoEs, as well as national grants such as the UK DTI Technology Programme awards. iXscient works on the basis of accepting about one third of fees prior to submission and the remaining two thirds only on successful evaluation of the proposal. This ensures that we only work where we really believe we will be successful! The fees relate to the nature and size of the proposals, with total fees being usually well under 1% of the granted funds.

Organizing, writing and submitting major R&D proposals

With the increase in complexity and ambition of collaborative international scientific research projects, it is increasingly becoming untenable for involved scientists to also manage the projects. iXscient provides a complete project management service based on a wealth of experience of successfully managing such major projects. Being technically literate in the area of the programme allows us to understand the technical as well as administrative issues which can impact the projects.

Support functions we provide include communications, web and email facilities, publicity material, knowledge management and on-line project management software.

Project Management of  collaborative R&D programmes

Sometimes companies lose the ability to understand which of their research programmes are key to their future and which can be cut back or redirected to achieve the company goals. In many cases the research can be partially funded through appropriate grants. The programmes themselves very often have to be refocused and restructured to give them a real chance of success and delivering a future commercial return. iXscient has excellent knowledge and experience in addressing the various national and international grant bodies and in structuring proposals to meet the requirements of these bodies. iXscient’s combination of technical and commercial experience puts it in a good position to assist companies maximize the return from their research spending.

In a time and materials consultancy iXscient will analyse the current projects, their goals, and the potential markets they seek to address. A detailed plan to maximize external support of the work and refocus it to ensure its commercial applicability will be developed. iXscient will then provide grant proposal writing and, if desired, continuous ongoing management support and consultancy.

Analysing, Planning, Structuring and Executing R&D Strategies

The development of science and technology is no doubt a worthwhile end in itself but for investors and commercial organizations there has to be eventually a return from the money they spend on such programmes.  Based on the Intellectual Property, such as patents and know-how, iXscient will develop a practical plan for maximizing the commercial returns, whether it be from licensing, product development and sale or new company startup.

Activities in licensing support include:

· Finding clients for technology licensing

· Negotiating licensing arrangements

 

Activities in support to potential startups include:

· Assisting in writing start-up business plans including identifying and dealing with weaknesses

· Completing management and technology gaps

· Identifying potential investors for specific technologies

· Investor presentations and fund raising

· Advice and support in structuring internal research and development programmes

 

Technology Exploitation and Business Development, including company startup

iXscient Limited

Innovation

Excellence

Science

Technology

iXscient limited

76 Popes Grove

Twickenham

Middlesex

TW1 4JX

UK

 

Tel: +44 (0)20 8892 7809

Fax: +44 (0)20 8892 7809

Email: nickw@ixscient.com

iXscient has built up considerable experience in many aspects of organizing national and international R&D projects: setting up consortia; putting together and submitting proposals; contract negotiations; project management and ongoing project reporting. This know-how has been developed by actually conducting the work and our partners have found our advice and guidance on these issues, provided in the form of one or two day seminars, invaluable in improving and facilitating their partnership in these challenging and often highly bureaucratic programmes of work.

Providing hands-on training/seminars in proposal writing, project management, EU project reporting and contractual requirements