Jean Jesty, tax partner, and John Latimer, senior partner, continue JWPCreers’ long involvement with the York Cycle of Mystery Plays performed this year on waggons on 11 and 18 July. Hopefully this shows accountants and tax advisers have another life too! Both were involved in the Guild of Scriveners play “The Incredulity of Thomas”, John playing St John! and Jean sourcing the costumes and many other necessary items as well as being the prompter. JWPCreers also sponsored the opening of the Special Exhibition in York Art Gallery which continues to display paintings of the original stations, where the plays were performed, and ancient artefacts borrowed from the London Museum for the exhibition.

The aim of the workshop, which was run in conjunction with design consultancy Frazer-Nash Consultancy,
was to give children and carers the chance to talk about the problems that affect their daily lives and highlighting how these are not currently addressed by existing technologies.

Held in London, in conjunction with children’s charity Whizz-Kidz, four designs were presented to the group, with the aim of the choosing one overall concept that caters for all their needs and provides care, quality of life and independence for thousands of children across the UK, including children with severe disabilities and wider groups. 

The overall aim of the project is to design a chair that allows children to confidently leave hospital environments and be able to get out and about safely, confidently and more independently.  Whilst the designs incorporate the most complex equipment needs such as catering for ventilators and oxygen cylinders, they also have a wider generic appeal as well.

Another feature of the designs was its ability to adapt with the changing size of a child; encompassing a range of frames and seat options that accommodate growing children.

This need for innovation was identified by the NHS Innovation Centre (NIC) who enlisted the help of the English, Welsh and Scottish Paediatric Service.  D4D, who are funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and Fraser Nash Consultancy were identified by the NIC as ideal partners for clinical engagement and industrial design respectively - to help develop a solution to meet this unmet clinical need and offer an improved quality of life for children.

Over the last year the team have worked closely with paediatric consultants from Great Ormond Street Hospital and Sheffield Children’s Hospital, occupational therapists, engineers and clinical scientists to design a new transport system that caters for the children’s everyday needs.

D4D and Frazer Nash commissioned a series of on-line surveys, user and carer focus groups to find out exactly what it is needed and how this can be in incorporated into the new designs – these were hosted by Whizz Kids, providing a national platform for input.

Wheelchair user Leanna Horne said: “People don’t usually ask us what we want and need but by working together we can ensure children in the future get better wheelchairs than the ones I had when I was growing up. There isn’t a clinical need for wheelchairs to be fashionable but as you get older you want to make sure you fit into society and that your disability isn’t any more obvious than it needs to be.  If you have a slim line chair with character, it’s easier to get around and makes you feel more integrated into society.”

Parent, Helen Spear whose daughter Amber was at the event, commented: “One of the main problems we have is transporting our daughter’s powered wheelchair because it is so heavy.  It is 12 and half stone and it takes both me and my husband to lift it into the back of a car. This makes going on school trips or away with friends very difficult. Anything that can improve the lives of children and their carers is a positive move.”

The children and parents used images of key features to create a collage of their ideal wheelchairs, these and their feedback will be used alongside data from clinicians to produce a  final design scheme , anticipated to be in October 2010, with the view to start the development of the first prototypes in the autumn.

8 year old Amber, added: “I have millions of ideas, which are all important such as adding lights and reflectors and making wheelchairs more colourful. I hope that some of my ideas are used.”

For more information contact Julia Price, Senior PR Officer at Medilink Yorkshire and Humber:
Tel: 0114 232 9281,
Mob: +44 7793118890,
e-mail: j.price@medilink.co.uk
 

Liquid is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a top honour at the BBAA (British Business Angels Association) awards in Manchester on Tuesday.

The Angel - VC (Venture Capital) Deal of the Year award was open to individual VCs, business angel networks, angel groups/syndicates and individual investors who have successfully structured a deal including both VC and angel investment.

Liquid raised £770,000 worth of investment funding in February by selling an 18% stake to a syndicate of prominent local business angels, with a further 12% being match-funded by the Government’s flagship fund for women-led businesses, The Aspire Fund.

Marketing Director, Lisa Kendrick, who, as one of the founders and owners of the company, attracted the support of The Aspire Fund, said:

“We’re delighted that our efforts and success have been recognised and we’re proud to win such a high-profile award. The fact that we managed to raise such a substantial investment, especially in a recession, is testament to how much the business has grown since starting out 5 years ago.
Our success and position as market-leader shows just how cloud computing and online accounting has grown in the last five years. We’re confident that cloud computing will experience continual growth over the coming years as more businesses make the switch to online software.”

Speaking after collecting the award on behalf of Liquid, Ken Cooper of Capital for Enterprise said:
“Liquid won because their recent investment was a great example of a strong syndicate of business angels working effectively with a more formal venture fund.”

Headline speaker at the event, held at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, was Julie Meyer, Founder of Entrepreneur Country, CEO of Ariadne Capital and Dragon on BBC's Dragon's Den Online.

Over 200 delegates from the UK, Europe and further afield attended the event, with representatives from business angel investing and early stage venture markets, as well as other professionals who also have a direct interest in the early stage investing market.

The BBAA is the only national trade association dedicated to promoting angel investing and supporting early stage investment in the UK. It works to create an ecosystem to help support the industry through bringing together angel networks, private investors, early stage funds and professional advisors. For more information about the BBAA, visit their website.

For more information about Liquid’s latest awards news, visit the awards section of our blog via the Liquid website.

http://www.liquidaccounts.net/index.php

“Today’s event clearly highlights the buoyancy of the Health Technologies sector, and specifically the continued success and innovative capacity of Yorkshire Health Technology companies. In the present economic climate it is reassuring to see the achievements of companies on show  - many of which confirmed the importance of bringing businessmen, academics and clinicians together to develop the technologies and industries of tomorrow.”

The winners of the awards are as follows:
 
The Business Link Start Up Award winner – I & IT Ltd, health integration and interoperability specialists dedicated to connecting contrasting IT systems. Their product iMethod+ allows for bespoke packages to be developed in conjunction with the NHS Trust; creating a clear solution to fit a particular budget.
 
The South Yorkshire Comprehensive Local Research Network Innovation Award winner – Surgical Innovations, specialists in the design and manufacture of innovative products for minimally invasive surgery. YelloPort+plus® is an award winning Resposable® laparoscopic port access system that combines both single-use and reusable components.
 
The Medipex Partnership with the NHS winner – Healthcare e-academy (a division of Virtual College), one of the UK’s leading providers of online and blended learning solutions for healthcare workers; providing good quality, up to date and accessible training. Their e-Academy has a suite of over 100 e-learning products; many developed in partnership with sector specialists.
 
The CPD4 Health Innovation Outstanding Achievement Award winner – Systagenix, the world leading supplier of woundcare products - has, in the last year, dramatically overhauled the production at their Gargreave site; introducing three new production lines including a new labelling and packaging system creating 188 new jobs.
 
The UK Trade and Investment Export Achievement Award winner – Paxman Ltd, the developers of the Paxman Scalp Cooler, a cap used to minimise hair loss during cancer treatments. Paxman has seen a 66% increase in export sales in the past year with 65% in new markets and currently have 800 systems used globally.
 
 
The Medilink Beacon Award acknowledges the outstanding contribution of an individual to the healthcare sector. This year’s award was given to Professor Peter Vowden for his unrivalled dedication to woundcare. Peter is an internationally acclaimed woundcare specialist and vascular surgeon from the Bradford Teaching Hospital Trust.
 
As well as the announcement of the awards, the event included an exhibition showcasing the latest innovations in Healthcare Technologies and services, as well as presentations from key figures, including Mirella Marlow from NICE – who explained the new single evaluation pathway which simplifies the difficult challenge of getting products adopted by the NHS; Mike Gordon (CEO of Healthcare at Home Ltd) – who shared the secrets to his business’ multi-million pound success – transforming his company to a £750 million business in just 10 years; and Richard Seabrook, Head of Technology Transfer at Wellcome Trust – who offered his advice on funding in LifeSciences emphasising their enthusiasm for engaging with Med Tech companies and supporting their development.
 
For photos and videos from the event please visit our website – www.medilink.co.uk
 
 

Connect Yorkshire hosted its seventeenth successful Investment Forum (8th July 2010) at the Aspire in Leeds.

The event was sponsored by Financial Leeds and Yorkshire Proof of Concept; saw the cream of the high growth sector rubbing shoulders with industry leaders, regional businesses, and high profile investors.

Connect held its Investment Forum in the morning session, with nine emerging high growth companies pitching their business plans to an investment panel and an audience consisting of investors, entrepreneurs, Connect Yorkshire sponsor and partners from around the region.

This year’s panel, included:
Peter Armitage, Investment Partner of Key Capital Partners
Josh Bell, Partner and Head at FS Investments of Dawn Capital
John Kenny, Investment Professional of Delta Partners
Richard Doyle, Radish Investments
Alan Wallace, Investment Director of Octopus Ventures Limited
Colin Stirling, Partner of Spirit Capital Partners LLP
James Bird, Associate of Bridges Ventures
Malcolm Kpedekpo, Partner of Panoramic Growth Equity
Edward Wass, Investment Manager of Catapult Venture Managers Limited
Karen McCormick, Investment Director of Beringea LLP
David Milroy, Fund Manager of Maven Capital Partners UK
Norman Molyneux, Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Muir, Co-Chairman of Fund Board of HG Tech Fund LLP

This year’s presenting companies, pitching for investment included: 
Shopbox Systems Limited, www.shopbox.co.uk

Bravi UK Limited, www.bravi.uk.com

StormMQ Limited www.stormmq.com

R3 Products, www.fflap.com

Ffflap, www.fflap.com

GTE Consultants Limited, www.gtegroup.co.uk            

Kick4change CIC, www.kick4change.org

Structure Vision Limited, www.structurevision.com

Crompton Mouldings Limited, www.cromptonmouldings.co.uk

This year’s exhibiting companies included:
Pescredo Sports International Limited
Tyre Technology (Heat) Limited
Virtual Runner

At the Investment Forum, for the first time there was an additional exhibition area to showcase the budding University projects within Yorkshire’s growth sector.

Designed to connect you with a greater number and broader range of opportunities that are currently or soon to be seeking finance, you will find four businesses/projects, at various stages of development in this space. They made formal presentations in the afternoon session at the forum.

This year’s uuniversity projects included:
Seren Photonics Limited
Avoco Medical Limited
eTect Electronic Biomarker Detection
Solvent-Free Continuous Co-crystallisation
 
The selection of companies to present at the Investment Forum has been greatly helped by a group of volunteers from our sponsors. 

Alan Brocklehurst, Sadofsky's
Andy Camenisch,  Harrison Goddard Foote
Chris Blackburn, Garbutt & Elliott LLP
Christian Hunt, Clarion Solicitors LLP
David McWilliams, Withers & Rogers LLP
Emma Marsden, Walker Morris
Gareth Greaves-Milner, MFL Science & Technology
Graham Garbett, Garbutt & Elliott LLP
James Fellows, RM Corporate Solutions Ltd
Jeremy Oliver, Garbutt & Elliott LLP
Kevin Frisby, Ford Campbell Freedman
Louise Handley, Lee & Priestley LLP
Margaret Ferris, PKF (UK) LLP
Mark Fellows, Winburn Glass Norfolk
Martin Beer, Sheffield Hallam University
Paul Foot, Withers & Rogers LLP
Paul Routledge, DLA Piper
Peter Draggett, Dragon IP Stategics
Rachel Dean, Clarion Solicitors LLP
Rebecca Beecroft, DLA Piper
Rebecca McCall, Walker Morris
Reinhold Behringer, Leeds Metropolitan University
Richard Gover, Urquhart-Dykes & Lord LLP
Robert Goldstone, Walker Morris
Ryan Gracey, Lee & Priestley LLP
Scott Fawcett, PriceWaterHouse Coopers
Shaun Mullins, Baker Tilly
Simon Wormald, Deloitte
Steve Knowles, Knowles Warwick
Steve Roberts, Fripp Design Ltd
Steve Scholey, Action COACH Leeds
Steven Gash, Clough & Company LLP
Will Arnold, BTG McInnes Corporate Finance

We would like to thank all these individuals for the considerable time and efforts they have expended over the last few months and helping make this year’s event a great success.

After a successful year, Liquid Accounts have once again made it to the final round of the Software Satisfaction Awards.  Back in 2008, they achieved first place for Best Web Based Accounting Software, fighting off competition from well known brands like Sage and Pegasus. After being placed as runner-up in the Best Small Business Accounting Software Category last year, Liquid Accounts are hoping for a victorious first place this year.

The Software Satisfaction Awards are organised and run by Sift Media and are sponsored by BASDA (Business Application Software Developers Association) along with partners, ICAEW IT Faculty (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales), ICPA (Institute of Certified Practising Accountants) and Clicktools.

Sift Media is a leading business-to-business publisher specialising in online, interactive professional communities. With a range of services including websites, email publications, industry awards and events, Sift Media offers innovative, branded content to over half a million professionals in accounting and finance, HR and teaching, IT, marketing, advertising and the public sector.

The use of cloud computing has become more and more commonplace as more companies realise the benefits. It is cost effective, reliable and less time consuming compared to more conventional in house packages.  Liquid Accounts have developed their accounting software to enable users to access over 3,438 programs from anywhere in the world, in one easy to use online program.

“The business is growing vastly, raising equity investment worth £770,000 to date. We now have a very sustainable marketing budget and are looking forward to expansion over the next few years.” said a representative from Liquid Accounts

With only a few weeks left before the closing date for all votes, Liquid Accounts are urging people to help them achieve the first place victory they deserve.

The closing date for all votes is the 14th July 2010. To vote for Liquid Accounts, please visit http://www.clicktools.com/survey?iv=391283af5dc01f9&q1=Liquid%20Accounts%20Ltd&q2=Liquid%20Accounts&q3=Accounting%20and%20Finance

For further information about Liquid Accounts, please contact:
Lisa Kendrick
0845 450 7304
Lisa.kendrick@liquidaccounts.net

http://www.liquidaccounts.net/

Reinforcing its long-standing reputation for innovative sponsorship of the arts, Leeds-based, national law firm Walker Morris is sponsoring a landmark exhibition by the internationally renowned Yorkshire artist Ashley Jackson.  

The exhibition, ‘The Power and the Passion’, a collection of Jackson’s dramatic works of his favoured subject, the Yorkshire Moors, will open at the Mall Galleries, near Buckingham Palace in London, in October before moving to Yorkshire’s Temple Newsam later in the month for a protracted run through to May 2011.

Ashley Jackson has been labelled ‘the Turner of the 21st Century’ for his distinctive ability to capture the drama and beauty of the Yorkshire landscape and the exhibition will bring 35 of his favourite paintings of the wild countryside into the heart of the City, encouraging Londoners and overseas visitors to think again about the region as a tourist destination and its place at the heart of the UK.  With the move to the Tudor-Jacobean Temple Newsam, near Leeds, the exhibition aims to encourage the people of Yorkshire to discover, or, indeed, re-discover the vastly varied and remoter corners of their home county.

This year will see Ashley celebrate his 70th birthday and mark more than 50 years as a professional artist. During that time he has gone from virtual unknown to an internationally collectable artist, television personality and has given painting demonstrations in the gardens of Highgrove, the home of HRH, the Prince of Wales, who is providing the forward to the exhibition’s commemorative brochure, for which funds raised will be donated to the Prince’s Trust.

Throughout all that time, the one constant in his professional life has been his absolute passion for portraying the dramatic landscapes of his home county, a calling that can see him out tramping the moors with his easel and paints in all weathers.  Ashley is one of the few artists to paint to such a majestic size in watercolours with the white seen in the paintings being the white of the paper.

Walker Morris has been a significant provider of arts sponsorship for more than 20 years during which it has supported and developed a number of unique initiatives, from grass roots projects with primary school children through to events of international significance, all of which have helped bring art to the wider community and also demonstrate the firm’s belief in the importance of creative thinking in business.

This latest initiative follows the firm’s highly successful sponsorship of the inaugural exhibition ‘The Revolution Continues – New art from China’  at the new and acclaimed Saatchi Gallery in London in 2008. It attracted more than 400,000 visitors making it the most visited exhibition in the capital that year. When Walker Morris brought an earlier Saatchi Gallery exhibition,’ The Triumph of Painting,’ to Leeds City Art Gallery in 2006 it, too, broke all records for that venue.

The latest sponsorship continues a 15 year association with Ashley Jackson through his role as judge in the annual ‘Children’s Calendar Painting Competition’ which the firm organises among primary school pupils in Yorkshire and the Humber.

One of the aims of the competition is to encourage an enthusiasm for and appreciation of art among the very young in the hope they will sustain the interest throughout their lives. During the period that the exhibition will be at Temple Newsam, Walker Morris and Ashley Jackson will be hosting two days of painting demonstrations for winning schools from this year’s Calendar competition. There will also be other days organised for further school visits. 

Walker Morris Managing Partner, Ian Gilbert said:

“ As a firm we have long supported the arts in all its disciplines as a way of illustrating our belief in the importance of creativity in all aspects of life. Our long term relationship with Ashley Jackson through his inspirational involvement in our annual Children’s Calendar Painting Competition is a perfect illustration of putting belief into practice to the benefit of the wider community.

 “ At its best art challenges perceptions and stimulates different ways of thinking. That is why, even at this time of economic challenge, it is important that support for the arts be maintained and we are delighted to make our contribution through this latest sponsorship.”

Ashley Jackson said:

“Walker Morris has been a tremendous supporter of the arts in this country for many years and I am delighted to be continuing my long term association with the firm through their sponsorship of this landmark exhibition. It is a connection I value highly and one which, I believe, has opened up the world of art and painting to a wide and appreciative audience.

“It is particularly important, given the difficult economic times we are experiencing, that business sustains support for the arts so that they can continue to enrich the cultural life of the nation. “

www.walkermorris.co.uk

Arterius Ltd is one of only a handful of companies developing this innovative technology, which is set to significantly cut the cost of heart disease treatment in the UK and across the globe.

Coronary stent technology has been developed over the years from the bare metal stent, which has a 30 per cent failure rate, to the most recent invention, the drug eluting stent. This newer technology is flawed however, as blood clotting can still occur. A fully biodegradable stent is considered to be the answer to these problems and Arterius’ work is set to have a major impact on patient well-being as well as the overall cost of treatment.

The development work is being led by industry experts Kadem Al-Lamee and Alistair Taylor with support from three UK universities.

Prototypes will be developed by Professor Phil Coates and his team at The University of Bradford, IRC in Polymer Engineering. The company are hopeful that the patented technology will enter Phase 1 clinical trials by 2014.

Founders of Arterius, Kadem Al-Lamee and Alistair Taylor joined forces in 2009 to combine their wealth of experience in the stent industry to design a truly innovative product. Alistair was co-founder and chairman of Oxfordshire-based Lombard Medical which bought Kadem Al-Lamee’s company Polymed, a developer of coatings for medical devices, in 2001. Alistair was also the CEO of Schneider AG which developed the first ever stent.

The pair are currently funding the business from their own resources but are now seeking further capital and are taking part in the Investing in Health programme managed by Grant Thornton.

Kadem Al-Lamee, co-founder of Arterius, said: “We are looking for up to £3m of investment to further develop the technology and take it safely to Phase 1 clinical trials. We are estimating a 10 per cent share of a £1.2bn market within the next few years and can offer investors an excellent return on their investment.

“The team behind the Investing in Health programme has been invaluable in introducing us to potential investors, both nationally and internationally. They have also helped us shape our business plan so that we can approach investors with a solid proposition.”

Lisa Ward, manager of the Investing in Health programme at Grant Thornton, comments on the market opportunities for Arterius. She said: “The cost of heart disease to national economies is huge. Estimates vary, but it is suggested to be around £192bn in Europe alone. The ageing population is driving further growth in the market and Arterius is well-placed to take advantage of this and target some of the major medical device companies.”

The Investing in Health programme forms part of Yorkshire Forward’s ongoing strategy to support the development of the healthcare technologies industry in Yorkshire and Humber.

Zilico Limited, based at The Sheffield Bioincubator, has received funding from new and existing investors which will be used to continue the development of its real-time diagnosis technology for cervical cancer.

Interim data from one of the company’s on-going multi-centre clinical trials aimed at the colposcopy, or referral market, is very encouraging the company is on track to launch its first product in 2011.

The successful funding round follows Zilico’s completion of the Investing in Health programme managed by Grant Thornton. The programme gives healthcare technology companies in Yorkshire the knowledge, advice, tools and resources needed to access equity funding from national and international investors. Managed by a consortium of finance and healthcare experts, it also gives advice to companies looking at ways of raising other types of finance such as bank debt, asset based lending and sales finance.

Zilico’s current investors include Exomedica Limited, Fusion IP plc, Viking Fund, STH NHS Trust and Medipex Limited. Sameer Kothari, CEO of Zilico, commented: “We are very pleased to secure this new round of funding as it allows us to further progress our development towards a product launch for 2011. I believe it is the strength of our proposition that has enabled Zilico to bring on board a new investor especially after the 2009 global downturn in the investment market.

“Going through the Investing in Health programme gave us confidence in our investment proposition and the team provided constructive feedback on our presentation. It also opened up new networks for us and brought us some very useful new investor contacts.”

Lisa Ward, manager at Grant Thornton, said: “We could see the potential of Zilico’s technology as soon as we started working with them so we’re delighted they have secured this latest round of funding. Half a million women are diagnosed with the disease each year and with the current cervical cancer screening and diagnostic market worth around $2.1 billion, companies such as Zilico are well placed to make a real impact on the cancer statistics.”

The Investing in Health programme forms part of Yorkshire Forward’s ongoing strategy to support the development of the healthcare technologies industry in Yorkshire and Humber.

Visit www.investinginhealth.co.uk to find out more about the programme. To learn more about Zilico Limited, visit www.zilico.co.uk

The company has now announced a new iteration, dedicated to addressing the specific challenges of lung surgery, which has been unveiled at the 18th European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) in Spain (30 May -2 June 2010).
 
The new product - TissuePatchThoracic -an ultra thin adhesive film, is more resilient, more conformable to the tissues and possesses improved handling characteristics compared with its predecessor. 
 
In addition the range now incorporates sizes and accompanying instruments which enable surgeons to use the product in keyhole procedures, known as Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS).
 
TissuePatchThoracic has been specifically designed to enable thoracic surgeons to seal internal air leaks during complicated lung surgery cases in which part of the lung is resected, most commonly for tumour removal.  Surgical resection lines are usually closed with staples, and the addition of TissuePatchThoracic adhesive film over these staple lines provides the surgeon with reassurance that air will not leak through the tissue and between the staples. 
 
Published data suggests that 70% of lung surgeries result in air leaks and 15% of these can be prolonged and problematic.  If the surgeon can reduce the number and duration of air leaks, patients can have surgical drains removed more quickly, suffer fewer complications and be discharged from hospital more quickly. 
 
The new patch is also able to be inserted into surgical sites using a bespoke “VATS” Delivery System, which uses a cleverly designed loading device to take the patch directly from the packaging into a delivery tube in one easy, direct movement, ready to be dispensed directly onto the target area.
 
TissuePatchThoracic works by bonding to proteins on the surface of internal organs and tissues, enhancing traditional suture or staple line closure and supporting healing tissues. The product requires no advance preparation and is easy to apply to often complex tissue surfaces.
 
Mr Kostas Papagiannopoulos, Consultant Thoracic Surgeon from St James’s Hospital in Leeds, UK states “I’ve used the new product and it represents an improvement over the original.  It’s stronger, softer and ultimately conforms to lung tissues better.”
 
Ahead of the ESTS congress Tissuemed CEO Nick Woods comments; “Surgeons always tell me that air leaks are always a problem in thoracic surgery. With the introduction of TissuePatchThoracic we believe we have addressed the key challenge of providing a solution that is easy to use, effective and economically justifiable.  Reducing time in hospital is better for patients and represents a significant potential cost saving, all important in these days of squeezed budgets and efficiency measures.”
 
“We’ve listened closely to thoracic surgeons so it is with a great deal of confidence that we will be showcasing this product at this year’s congress.  The technology is based on our successful TissuePatch3 platform, so it’s far from being an unproven technology. The product requires no preparation and provides instant results in surgery. Coupled with the new VATS instrumentation and the strong economic arguments for resolving air leaks we believe uptake of TissuePatchThoracic will be significant.”
 
For more information visit www.tissuemed.com
 

Mr Cameron was in Yorkshire to give his first major speech since becoming Prime Minister and used it to focus on the government’s determination to help boost UK businesses. As part of his tour, he visited Surgical Innovations, one of the region’s major manufacturing success stories and a global leader in medical devices for surgery. 

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds, said: “It was great having a visit from the Prime Minister to see the fantastic work done by Surgical innovations from their base in Leeds. We are incredibly proud that this innovative company is designing and manufacturing leading edge surgical equipment and exporting all round the world. It shows that, with vision, flair and drive, British companies can be world leaders. It is so exciting that Surgical Innovations are doing this right here in Leeds.”

Graham Bowland, Chief Executive Officer of SI said: “It has been a proud day for everyone connected with Surgical Innovations.  The Prime Minister’s visit to our facility enabled him to see first-hand how sustained investment in both manufacturing and product development has provided a secure foundation and numerous opportunities for growth for Surgical Innovations.”

Wakefield first has re-launched www.wakefieldworks.com, a dedicated website focused on tackling youth unemployment in the Wakefield District.

The website offers advice and support to local businesses that are looking to take on a young person. Employers can find information on recruitment support, training providers and financial incentives.

In addition the website features a jobs directory where local employers can advertise their vacancies free of charge to young people. This unique feature provides a central point where 18-24 year olds can search for full-time positions, internships, work experience and even voluntary placements available in the District.

The website forms a key strand of the Wakefield Economic Prosperity Board’s focussed strategy to help Wakefield’s businesses and individuals emerge strongly from the recession, and follows hard on the heels of the Let’s Work Together event held on 26th March.

Wakefield Council Leader Cllr Peter Box said www.wakefieldworks.com enables young people to access local vacancies through a single portal:

“Wakefield Council has made it a key priority to help 18-24 year olds get back into work and by visiting www.wakefieldworks.com young people can search for opportunities that suit their experiences and aspirations more efficiently.

“The jobs directory also reduces recruitment costs incurred by businesses when trying to fill a vacancy, as well as provide employers with information about operating apprenticeship schemes and becoming a mentor.”

Mohan de Silva, Chief Executive of Wakefield first, said the website is part of the Prosperity Board’s aim to provide help where it’s most needed:

“www.wakefieldworks.com was originally launched in March 2009 to support businesses and individuals during the economic downturn. As we emerge from the recession it is clear that young people were amongst the greatest casualties, accounting for one third of the total unemployed. We must make a special effort to ensure our young people are not excluded from future opportunities.

“www.wakefieldworks.com draws together a vast range of support services in one easy-to-use portal that will help individuals and businesses alike to maximise their potential.”

If you are a Wakefield employer and have a vacancy that is suitable for a young person please email info@wakefieldfirst.com to find out how you can advertise your vacancy for free. Alternatively if you would like more information on operating apprenticeship schemes, becoming a mentor to a young person or providing work experience opportunities please visit www.wakefieldworks.com.

Pro-Cure Therapeutics Limited, based in the Biocentre at York Science Park, has set out its strategy for the next four years and has ambitious plans to attack cancer stem cells by taking its exciting new drug candidates into clinical testing by 2012.

Having secured nearly £2.8m of investment to date, the company is now exploring new funding streams by taking part in the Investing in Health programme managed by Grant Thornton. Participation in the programme will help to widen Pro-Cure’s network of healthcare investors and will generate new funding opportunities for the company.

 Pro-Cure has most recently secured investment of over £700,000 from its existing investors, led by the Yorkshire & Humber Equity Fund, managed by YFM Venture Finance Limited, and Yorkshire Cancer Research. The company has also won a £100,000 Yorkshire Forward research grant which will be used to undertake preliminary screening of the next batch of targets in prostate cancer.

 Mick McLean, CEO of Pro-Cure, said: “We are seeking this investment to take our work to a significant milestone of showing early efficacy. We’ll then be able to attract more substantial investment to establish a pipeline of therapeutic candidates, take them through pre-clinical development and to validate additional targets in prostate and other cancers. The Investing in Health programme has been invaluable in introducing us to new investors looking for sound investments.”

 Prostate cancer remains an area of major unmet medical need and is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men worldwide. The prostate cancer drug market is estimated to be $5.2 billion worldwide, rising to $7 billion by 2015.

 Mick McLean continued: “We believe that novel targeted therapies such as ours will be used in combination with traditional drugs. This will lead to a considerable change in the market and represents a major opportunity for the company, our investors and our partners.”

 Lisa Ward, manager of the Investing in Health programme at Grant Thornton, predicts a bright future for the company: “Pro-Cure is looking for further investment in order to carry out their future development plans. We are helping them to explore funding opportunities throughout the UK, the EU and the USA.”

 As a result of the latest financing, Pro-Cure has strengthened its Board with the appointments of David Livesley and Dr David Milroy as directors. David Livesley who represents YFM Venture Finance Limited which led the last round said, “I have been very impressed by the obvious expertise of the company in this emerging therapeutic area as well as the strength of the management team with their clear focus on value creation and I am delighted to be joining their Board at this exciting time in the company’s development.” David Milroy is a fund manager with Maven Capital Partners and represents White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund, one of the company’s founder shareholders who also participated in the last funding round.

The Investing in Health programme forms part of Yorkshire Forward’s ongoing strategy to support the development of the healthcare technologies industry in Yorkshire and Humber.

 Visit www.investinginhealth.co.uk to find out more about the programme.

Kirkstall Ltd, which develops innovative testing technologies at its Kroto Innovation Centre laboratories in Sheffield, is hosting a Symposium to discuss new developments in human cell-based testing in Montpellier, France on 26 and 27 May 2010.

The company has invited experts from across Europe and the USA to present at the event, covering topics from regulatory procedures to reducing the need for animal testing. A leader in her field, Professor Sheila MacNeil of the University of Sheffield will be presenting her paper on 3D tissue engineering models for R&D.

Earlier this year, Kirkstall secured over £100,000 of equity funding following its involvement in Grant Thornton’s Investing in Health programme. The funding has allowed Kirkstall to continue to develop its technologies and build on its reputation helping it win its first significant three year contract on toxicity testing.

Dr Malcolm Wilkinson, managing director of Kirkstall, said: “We’ve had a fantastic response to the event so far with more than 90 people registered to attend. The key reason there is so much interest is that there are some serious unmet needs at the moment in toxicity testing which our technologies can address. It is a great opportunity to bring together leading researchers from the industry and also shows the benefits of working with academic research teams and key opinion leaders in the biotechnology market place.”

When asked to select the top three sectors they would be most active in over the next 12 months, 50% of respondents from private equity firms pointed to healthcare, according to the Private Equity Barometer, a quarterly survey of more than 100 private equity executives. In addition, 52% of private equity firms cited healthcare as the sector they had been most active in during the previous 12 months.

In terms of what respondents are prepared to pay, healthcare is ranked the joint highest sector alongside media and communications, in relation to earnings. Respondents anticipate having to pay an 8 times EBITDA* multiple for the deals in their sector over the next 12 months, the same multiple anticipated for transactions in the media and communications sector.

Grant Thornton manages Yorkshire Forward’s Investing in Health programme which supports healthcare companies seeking finance. Lisa Ward, manager of the programme, says: "Despite looming public sector cuts that will impact demand for good and services from the private sector, private equity companies remain unwaveringly confident about healthcare deal activity.

"With one of the highest expectations of EBITDA multiples when compared to other sectors, private equity firms are playing it safe, as indicated by the 50% of respondents that are choosing healthcare as a favourite industry to invest in.

“Yorkshire healthcare companies are well placed to take advantage of the appetite for private equity deals. There are a number of truly innovative companies ripe for investment in the region and those that carry the minimum amount of risk offer a solid opportunity for investors,” Ward concluded.

Plus Minus Design is the brainchild of three Leeds graduates, Adam Robinson, Henry James and Tom Eales, and has been in business since September 2009.

The company works with businesses to transform the environmental and social impact of their products and services by providing truly innovative and creative design solutions. Plus Minus Design unique approach in demonstrating that sustainability need not be a financial burden, but an opportunity to increase market share, sales and profits, has seen them flourish.

Supported by Leeds alumnus and serial entrepreneur Sir Peter Thompson, The award is given to the most promising entrepreneurs from the University of Leeds and is worth £5000. Sir Peter is a graduate of the University of Leeds who was knighted in 1984 for his part in leading the employee-led privatisation of the National Freight Consortium. He is currently the chair of Child Base Ltd, and works with a host of other start-up companies and young entrepreneurs to offer the benefit of his experience. Enterprise Award winners were selected by their entrepreneurial promise and the scale of their potential impact on the UK's economic, social or cultural prosperity.

Said Sir Peter:

“ I’d like to congratulate Plus Minus and all our enterprising finalists on their success, which vividly demonstrates the contribution they are making to our economy, even in the most difficult of economic climates.“

Henry James of Plus Minus Design was thrilled to win:
“This means so much to us as a young company. Not just in how the award will allow us to grow, but in benefiting from the advice and guidance of an entrepreneur of Sir Peter’s stature.”

Runners up were web and graphic design agency, Creode a former finalist at the Yorkshire Excellence in Business Awards, demonstrating the strength in depth of the candidates.

Clearly on a roll, Plus Minus Design also walked away with first prize in the University’s Annual Business Plan competition. Completing a memorable evening, Houston Spencer, Vice President of €15 billion hi-tech innovation giant Alcatel-Lucent delivered a rousing keynote address on how technology and virtual communities are changing the way we do business today.

Plus Minus were also national finalists in the NACUE (National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs) Varsity Pitch Competition. NACUE is a national organisation that supports and represents university enterprise societies and student entrepreneurs to drive the growth of entrepreneurship across the UK.

Having won their regional final and the Clean Tech & Green Business Award, Plus Minus pitched to a panel of judges comprising some of the UK's foremost entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and media personalities to compete for funding, incubation space, start-up support, PR and of course the national title.

Prof Richard Williams OBE, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for enterprise and knowledge transfer at the University of Leeds said:
“ Awards like this are a great way of encouraging enterprise amongst students, encouraging them to work together and to link their skills and training directly to their future careers. I congratulate all our finalists and thank Sir Peter for his generosity and commitment.”

See: http://enterprise.leeds.ac.uk and search for Thompson Award.
 

GO-SIM, the SIM card provider with offices in York, has bought the assets of Hampshire-based communications company Oneroam, which had ceased trading from 1 March 2010. All of Oneroam’s UK customers have transferred to GO-SIM, whose chief executive, David Agar, said:

"Since we founded GO-SIM in 2005 our sales objectives have always been underpinned by a strategy of both organic growth and acquisitions. We are always on the lookout for suitable companies to buy in order to grow more rapidly and in fact we are hoping to be able to announce a second acquisition very shortly."

http://www.gosim.com
 

This follow-on investment allows Retrogenix to scale up its technology towards its goal of 20,000 human proteins. Founder Jim Freeth explains “we are delighted with the company’s progress to date, and the interest that our results have generated across the pharmaceutical industry. It is great to have the further backing of our investors who see the significant commercial opportunity that Retrogenix offers”.

This further round of equity investment comes from business angels Neil Ewin and Mark Woodward of Ewin Woodward Development, and Nick Stringer, who first invested in Retrogenix in 2009. Neil Ewin said “We have been very impressed with the progress made over the last six months both in the laboratory and also in the commercial discussions we have had with many potential customers. When we made our initial investment, we agreed a clear set of goals for the release of further funds and I am delighted to say that the team has achieved all of them, on time and under budget!!”