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"Venture Business in the UK and Japan: Light and Shadow
-- the Both Sides of the Story --"
To be held in Tsukuba as part of the programme around the 13th UK-Japan High Technology Industry Forum
Friday 2 October 1998: 13.00 - 19.15
Organizer
High-Tech Entrepreneurship Forum
Co-Organizers: Asia-Pacific Technology Network
Foundation for Advancement of International Science
Supporters British Embassy, Tokyo
Ministry of International Trade and Industry
Tsukuba Science City Liaison Council for Promotion of Research Exchange representing all research organizations in Tsukuba, including National Institutes, Universities and Private Companies
Venue Nippon Glaxo Ltd, Tsukuba Research Lab, 43 Wadai, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki-Prefecture c/o Miyoko Saito: Tel 81-298-64-5050: Fax 81-298-64-8558
Background
This conference springs from a conversation between Dr Yoshiji Fujita, Research Director, Nippon Glaxo and Louis Turner, Chief Executive of the Asia-Pacific Technology Network. To British eyes, there seemed a shortage of companies spinning out of the technology institutes in Tsukuba, Japan's premier science city. Could Japan learn from some of the British experiences in academic centres like Oxford and Cambridge?
This casual conversation triggered strong interest among a variety of Japanese institutions, and it was decided to run a half-day conference on "High-Technology Entrepreneurship" - in which the emphasis would be on ways of releasing academic scientific creativity into the commercial world. Potentially, this conference could become an annual affair.
Programme
Opening Address
Mr Masahiko Nakanishi, Chairman of the Foundation of Advancement of International Science
Address by Guests
Mr Chris Stuart, First Secretary, Science and Technology, British Embassy
Mr Christopher Adam, President, Nippon Glaxo Ltd (and Regional Director)
Keynote Lecture: "Can politics incubate venture business?"
Professor Masayuki Fukuoka, Hakuo University
Presentations and Panel Discussion (Coordinated by Dr Yoshiji Fujita, Research Director, Nippon Glaxo) "British High-Technology Entrepreneurship: a Brief overview" Louis Turner, Chief Executive, Asia-Pacific Technology Network
"Universities and Entrepreneurship: the Oxford and Cambridge experiences" Dr David Ray, Senior Consultant, Oxford Innovation
"Industry clusters and British Universities" Dr Brian Lever, Industrial Advisor, Department of Trade and Industry’s Innovation Unit - and Government Office for the South East
"Incubator Units: the Manchester experience" Dr Andy Brass, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester
"Technology Audits and British Universities" Dr David Ray, Senior Consultant, Oxford Innovation
Discussants Martin Bloom, Director, Emblem Technology Partnership,
Dr Peter Carter, Overseas Technology, Department of Trade and Industry
Mr Hiroshi Saito, Division of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
Mr Shuheita Tamada, MITI
Dr Robin E Sowden, Tsukuba University
The Audience
The Japanese partners are confident that they will get an audience of around 200 people. There is a lot of local interest within Tsukuba, while the Nippon Glaxo networks are attracting attention within the pharmaceutical and chemical communities.