YTKO

YTKO has a unique strength in both understanding the major challenges involved with the translation of novel ideas into commercial products and services, and providing the support infrastructure. Its commercial development skills inform their research and consultancy work, providing pragmatic and market-led insight and solutions to economic growth. The work on creating, building and animating networks and communities has been referred to the UK DTI as an example of best practice. Their aim is also to develop self-sustaining initiatives. YTKO runs several communities of common interest, ranging from business networks to sector-specific groups, using innovative knowledge transfer tools and techniques.

YTKO offices exist in Leeds, Yorkshire, Cambridge - one of the leading biotechnology and medical devices clusters in the world - and in Athens, Greece, where work is being done on technology development in both private and public sectors. In Yorkshire, YTKO manages a £1.5 million Bioscience Proof of Concept scheme - a major pre-incubation project in this sector - funded by the Regional Development Agency. In Cambridge, YTKO is well known as a venture developer, and has worked on innovation and enterprise for over 15 years. We have advised many hundreds of new starts, spin outs and entrepreneurs in the past four years alone, and raised £millions. We have taken over 60 early stage technology companies to market revenue since 1998, from both the academic and industrial sectors.

YTKO works with established venture capital funds, Angels, Challenge Funds and other funding organisations, manages the PRIME Initiative in Norfolk and Suffolk, and the Norfolk First angel network. YTKO is actively engaged with i10, the consortium of ten English universities - specifically seven major HEIs. Internationally YTKO is a member of the Gate2Growth incubator forum, including Chair of the EU Seed Fund Task Force, member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, and member of the Association of Technology Licensing Professionals. As an example, YTKO recently hosted the InvestorNet event on Medical Devices for leading European medical device investors and candidate companies in Cambridge.

Peter White
St John's Innovation Centre
Cambridge CB4 0WS, UK
E-mail: peter.white@ytko.com
Tel: +44 1223 421472
Mobile: +44 7785 343460

Virginie Vinel
Kapodistriou 5
16673 Voula
Greece
E-mail: virginie@ytko.com
Tel: +30 210 89 54 011
Mobile: +30 6977 50 94 50