Space researchers and enterprise experts from the University of Leicester have teamed up to offer a new business facing service that harnesses space technology for earth-bound benefits.
A Space Technology Exchange Partnership –G-STEP- has been established in order to support business and public sector organisations use state-of-the-art Earth Observation information technology.
The Partnership will be launched on 19th June 2009 at the University of Leicester by the head of the EU GMES bureau Dr Valere Moutarlier, Dr Steven Briggs, Head of Earth Observation, Applications and Future Technologies at the European Space Agency and Dr. David Williams head of the British National Space Centre. The knowledge-exchange hub is co-funded at £1.86 million by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), EMDA (East Midlands Development Agency), the Leicestershire Economic Partnership (LSEP) and the University of Leicester.
Researchers from the University's Chemistry, Geography and Physics and Astronomy departments have teamed up with the University's enterprise and business development office to provide the new service.
Professor Paul Monks, Director of G-STEP, said: "The exploitation of this technology is expected to have a major impact on business operations and competitiveness. We are being pro-active and going-out to the business community and saying, what are the issues you would like solving, then using a model of innovating, partnering or brokering the solution from our knowledge base. In practical terms, we will work with business partners to develop value-added services that exploit environmental data from the GMES system. In this way, we will be promoting EO businesses rather than competing with them"
He went on to say "A practical example of this is using space data as part of an air pollution forecast system, similar to a weather forecast, to deliver vulnerable people messages to their mobile phones reminding them to take their medication with them. This helps people particularly those suffering from asthma as well as having the potential to reduce hospital admissions."
G-STEP will exploit innovation opportunities made available by the flagship 1.4 billion Euro EC/ESA Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme. The GMES programme applies data from satellite, aerial and ground-based earth observation to information and decision-making products and services.
Dr. John Remedios co-director said "The biggest barriers to wide use of satellite data in the UK are knowledge, ease of access and solutions which are actually relevant to a given business or public service sector. Now that the European Commission and European Space Agency have commissioned the GMES programme, there is a paradigm shift in the accessibility of satellite services which gives a real opportunity to overcome previous obstacles. EO data will become a revolutionary environment information technology, delivering a new, at-your-fingertips "view of your world" in a similar way to GPS for transport and forecasting for weather services. We at Leicester will be using our considerable experience of Earth Observation to build new partnerships and broker existing solutions which can bring this into reality."
Dr. David Ward of the enterprise and business development unit said "G-STEP will exploit GMES technologies and the wider R&D base to advance business innovation and economic competitiveness in the East Midlands, nationally and internationally. G-STEP seeks to connect with businesses and organisations to support them to pioneer GMES product development (sourcing business) and utilising GMES services in commercial and business applications (supporting business). The project is the first GMES accelerator initiative in any UK region/administration."
David Wallace, Director of Innovation at East Midlands Development Agency (emda), said: "This is another example of the way that the East Midlands is at the forefront in looking at innovative ways in which space technologies can be used to benefit our businesses. We already have GRACE, the GNSS Research and Applications Centre of Excellence based in the region, and the establishment of G-STEP will further enhance the reputation of our universities as pioneers in the exploitation and application of space and satellite technologies."
A G-STEP office is currently being established on the University of Leicester campus. It will serve as the delivery hub for the project, utilising the capabilities of the University and its core Partners. Prospect Leicestershire is represented on G-STEP through its Chairman, Nick Carter, who sits on the steering group.
The physical base will provide meeting space, a design facility, and logistics for service and application development.
NOTE TO NEWSDESK:
Satellite Imagery available
For more information, please contact:
Professor Paul S Monks
Tel: 0116-252-2141
Email: psm7@leicester.ac.uk
Dr John Remedios- jjr8@le.ac.uk 0116 223 1319
Notes to Editors
About ERDF nationally
The ERDF Programme aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by supporting regional economic development.
The ERDF objectives for England are:
- Promoting innovation and knowledge transfer
- Stimulating enterprise and supporting successful business
- Ensuring sustainable development, production and consumption
- Building sustainable communities
- Improving accessibility and connectivity (for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly only – as part of their Convergence Programme).
A Programme Monitoring Committee consisting of regional stakeholders such as Government Offices, RDAs, Regional Assemblies, Local Authorities, Sub-regional Partnerships, Higher Education Institutions, Trade Unions, and the private and voluntary sectors will monitor and oversee programme implementation in each region.
For more information on ERDF funding generally, please visit www.communities.gov.uk/citiesandregions/european or http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funds/feder/index_en.htm
About ERDF in the East Midlands
The East Midlands is eligible for €268.5m (approximately £246m at current exchange rates) between 2007 and 2013, which when combined with match funding, provides a programme value of approximately £492m – a significant investment in the economic development of the region.
The East Midlands qualifies as a competitiveness and employment region under the EU's Cohesion Policy, which aims to meet the EU Lisbon objective to become 'the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social inclusion.'
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is responsible for the programme management and delivery of the region's 2007-13 ERDF Competitiveness Programme. The responsibility for ERDF programme management was transferred from the Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM) to emda following a decision by the UK Government to seek greater alignment between ERDF and regional strategies and funding streams. The 2007-13 ERDF Programme is therefore set firmly within the framework of the Regional Economic Strategy.
A Programme Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Regional Director of Government Office for the East Midlands (GOEM), guides the strategic direction of the programme and works closely with emda.
To find out more about ERDF, the region's strategy for delivering the funds, how to apply for funding and how the programme is managed, please visit www.eastmidlandserdf.org.uk
About emda
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England, set up in 1999 to bring a regional focus to economic development.
Ten years on, independent evaluation shows emda has:
- Had a significant impact on the region's economy
- Generated economic benefits that substantially outweigh its overall costs
- Put back over £9 of economic output (or GVA) into the regional economy for every £1 it spends
- Produced more than £1 billion in economic benefits per year
- A wider impact on people, places and businesses in the East Midlands that cannot be captured by figures alone.
emda is committed to supporting the region through the current downturn and has put in place a range of measures to provide real help during these challenging times.
Over the long term, emda's aim is to deliver the 2006 Regional Economic Strategy (RES) by working in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations. The RES highlights the themes of productivity, sustainability and equality and sets out key priorities until 2020 to ensure the vision for 'a flourishing region' can be achieved.
For more details visit www.emda.org.uk
Prospect Leicestershire
Prospect Leicestershire is the new economic development company charged with delivering physical regeneration and growth, business innovation and support and inward investment across Leicester and Leicestershire.
The company will build on the successful regeneration work already started in Leicester, seek to extend it to areas around the city and work with organisations across the county to create new jobs, improve skills and promote business and housing growth.
The company was created out of the shared ambition by Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council to drive the sustainable economic development and prosperity of the city and the county. A multi-area agreement (MAA) was prepared by the two authorities with support from the district councils and signed in January 2009 at a ground-breaking ceremony with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing St.
Prospect Leicestershire will be working in the following areas:
- Regeneration – delivering priority physical regeneration, renewal, environmental and infrastructure projects within the Principal Urban Area of Leicester, its Sustainable Urban Extensions and adjoining New Growth Points. The staffing compliment of the Leicester Regeneration Company forms the core of this team.
- Inward investment – promoting both county and city as targets for mobile inward investment opportunities and enquiry handling. Staff from Leicester Shire Promotions Limited have transferred to be involved in this part of the company bringing regeneration and investment promotion under the same roof for the first time.
- Business growth and innovation – ensuring continuity and integrity of business support provision across the county and city, joining up delivery of skills and learning activities at all levels, promoting enterprise development and innovation and improving the supply of serviced workspace and incubation facilities. The team will identify and commission new projects, procure resources and manage project delivery.