New Awards Scheme for London's Business Community Sponsorship Opportunities Available!

London Knowledge Transfer Awards 2008
London has a world leading knowledge base, comprising education establishments and research organisations, together with the structure to transfer that knowledge. The benefits of using this resource and access to it require greater promotion to the business community.

2008 Awards
The London Knowledge Transfer Awards 2008 aim to promote and celebrate successful partnerships between London’s Business Community and the London Knowledge base, as a way of increasing awareness of this activity and celebrating successful collaborations between the knowledge base and businesses.

Categories.   It is proposed to have six individual categories and one overall top achievement award where the winner is drawn from the best of the individual categories:
The Knowledge Transfer Collaboration of 2008

The following categories are planned for 2008:

• Knowledge Base Collaboration Award:   The Knowledge Base Collaboration Award acknowledges successful working partnerships between London based businesses and the Knowledge Base. The award will focus on partner relationships of businesses working with London based education and research establishments, which bring positive benefits to both parties. Businesses will have less than 50 employees and the collaboration must have been completed less than 24 months ago. Successful partnerships can be in any area of business and the award will be presented as a joint award. The companies must not be HE spinouts.

• Collaborative Innovation Excellence:   This Award is designed to acknowledge how collaboration has brought about the successful application of innovation within business. The implementation of creative management methods, new technology, innovative products and IT can give an organisation a clear competitive edge and lead to business success. This award is looking for the London based organisation, which has worked with the Knowledge Base to develop an opportunity to deliver a new service or product, or employ an innovative approach within its operation. The award will be presented as a joint award.

• The Not-for-Profit Award:   The Not-for-Profit Award, whilst recognising the vital role-played by the voluntary community sector within London, is looking for the charitable / community organisation that has most benefited from Knowledge Transfer. The award is looking for a close relationship with the London Knowledge Base and, as a result, the most innovative and proactive use of information. Entrants must demonstrate that they are essentially a not-for-profit organisation benefiting the local community; charity, social or community service.

• The Knowledge Transfer Champion:   The Knowledge Transfer Champion Award is to acknowledge a successful individual working in the business development, KT or TT department of an HEI, FE or other research organisation who has demonstrated outstanding achievements and business acumen in their field. The category offers the opportunity for individuals of all levels to highlight their skills and abilities as a facilitator of Knowledge Transfer to the business community. The three finalists will be selected by a public vote on the awards’ website and then interviewed by a judging panel to select the winner.

• Innovative Student Placement Award:   An award to identify and celebrate entrepreneurs, under the age of 25. The judges are looking for candidates who have undertaken a student placement in a London based company during which they really made an impact to the companies’ capability for innovation. This could have been through problem solving, adapting existing products for new markets or developing new ones. Entrants must demonstrate that they were key to the project implementation and that it has had a positive impact on the company.

• Commercial Deal of the Year:   An award to recognise the commercialisation potential of Higher Education Institutions. This could be a spinout company, licensing or any other KT and TT commercial deal. This can include student companies where the university still has a connection. This could be through generating income, attracting private company / VC funding, or offering other wider benefits. The Commercial Deal of the Year will look at how the idea has matured into a business and assess its prospects for the future.

Category names and descriptions are subject to change.

There are number of ways to get involved and be part of this inaugural and prestigious event:
Sponsorship packages start from only £195.00!

If you want to be involved in the London Knowledge Transfer Awards 2008, we would love to speak to you.

Some opportunities are listed below, however, if you have an interesting idea that you feel would enhance our event we would like to hear from you!

Both in-kind and monetary sponsorship available: -

• The whole event
• One of the Award Categories various packages available
• The Winners Lunch
• Entertainment
• Catering
• Wine
• Table decorations
• Table Plan
• Menu
• Gift bags and contents
• Raffle prize
• Tickets
• Evening Brochure

Key Dates for your diary