Vienna, June, 27 2013 - Life Science Austria Vienna and the British Government organisation UK Trade & Invest organised a Business Seminar at the British Embassy to showcase recent developments in the life science sector within the UK and to introduce business and co-operation opportunities for Austrian life science companies.
Similarly to Austria, the life science sector in the UK is one of the main contributors to economic growth. In her introduction, Ivana Ridler, Senior Attaché and Head of Inward Investment at UKTI Austria, pointed out that more than 4,000 life science companies account for 165,000 UK jobs and generate an annual turnover of approximately €60bn for the British economy. The session continued with Nigel Whittle, Life Science Expert at UKTI, who mapped out the UK Government’s initiatives for the sector to facilitate support from early-stage through to R&D and clinical translation with a particular focus on accessing the largest national healthcare system in the world (NHS) in order to drive innovation. The third session continued the focus on the NHS, and UKTI NHS Expert Frances Pennell-Buck gave an in-depth presentation on the NHS and its recent reforms. Frances outlined the scope of the business opportunities offered by the NHS and gave the Austrian audience expert advice and tips on how to take advantage of them. The expert sessions were rounded off with a case study and view from the frontline by Austro-British entrepreneur Jason Slingsby, who spoke about his experience of founding and developing an Austrian biotech company that co-operated with and expanded to the UK. The audience had the opportunity to follow-up with the speakers at the networking reception after the seminar, and to admire the impressive reception rooms of the British Embassy, which have remained largely unchanged since 1873.