Assignment for Cambridge Cleantech - as published by Business Weekly

1. 4 BUSINESSWEEKLY September 20, 2012
NEWS www.businessweekly.co.uk @businessweekly
CLEANTECH Cambridge conference provides a showcase for technology opportunities between the cluster and Asia
UK businesses urged to
tap into China – with a
little help from Hong Kong
by Judith Gaskell
China’s increasing demand for sustainability and
better healthcare is an opportunity not to be
missed for UK companies wanting to tap into
these markets, a Cambridge conference was told.
Exploring the China opportunity was
organised by networks One Nucleus and
Cambridge Cleantech in conjunction with the
Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks
Corporation and brought together companies
from Hong Kong and China with UK counterparts.
Delegates were welcomed to the conference
at Cripps Court, Magdalene College, by Sir Paul
Judge, along with Johann Wong, Deputy
Commissioner, innovation and Technology
Commission, Hong Kong SAR Government and
Anthony Tan, CEO of the Hong Kong Science &
Technology Parks Corporation.
Johann Wong said that Hong Kong could offer
a bridge between East and West. “We speak your
language, not just literally, but also in terms of
international standards of business and rule of
law.” China, he said, was going at breakneck speed
and sustainable growth was important to them.” the market dried up overnight.”
Anthony Tan said that there was a On Monday night delegates had the
tremendous opportunity for UK technology opportunity to network at a VIP reception at the
companies to tap into markets in mainland China Varsity Hotel followed by candlelit diner at
and Asia with the help of Hong Kong. Magdalene College where the guest speaker was
“China is already the largest consumer of Judge Business School benefactor Sir Paul Judge,
energy and there is a huge demand for clean who spoke about innovation & entrepreneurship.
technology. Demand for healthcare is also going Cambridge, he said, was already well known in
up so the life science opportunities are China – the city of Hangzhou was referred to as
tremendous.” the Cambridge of the East and Cambridge’s
Hong Kong, he said, offered one country and standing as the city with the most Nobel Prize
two systems. It was part of China but at the same winners carried a lot of weight. But it wasn’t’ all
time it was independent. “It’s a unique business about the past.
model that is world competitive.” “We can do tradition but we can still do
Nicholas Brooke, chairman of Hong Kong innovation. Entrepreneurship is exciting; you need
Science & Technology Parks, said that China was to take risk to succeed.” he said. The Judge itself
late in joining the sustainability club but was now had many Hong Kong and Chinese students and
taking it very seriously. alumni, with 20 Chinese students taking its MBA
This included the development of the Norman each year.
Foster designed West Kowloon Cultural District, For the organisers of the event this was very
an entertainment and cultural development, much about how the countries could help each
where 23 of the 40 hectares were park, and a other. “This is about two way collaboration,
mixed use development on the site of the former looking at the opportunities for Cambridge
Kai Taka airport. companies over there and Chinese and Hong
Phase three of the Hong Kong Science Park Kong companies over here.
'Exploring the China Opportunity' conference at the Cripps Court, Magdalene College.
was underway and was full of sustainable and “Hong Kong very much sees itself as a
Photographs by: Alan Bennett/Media Imaging Solutions
green initiatives. “We can help you identify gateway to China for UK companies,” said Philip
opportunities, access the market and find out how enterprises were being encouraged to invest and The drivers were a rise in the 50+ Kendall of One Nucleus.
business is done,” he said. cooperate abroad. “We believe that foreign demographic, an increase in urbanisation and a This was echoed by Bjorn Segerblom, overseas
This includes a soft landing programme, investment is positive and now encourage that rise in the middle class demand and affordability representative of the Hong Kong Science &
allowing companies to plug into the Chinese investment.” for healthcare. There had also been a large Technology Parks. “Hong Kong is the best way
market, meet people and judge for themselves if There were plans for economic development expansion of health insurance and medial into China because they know the Chinese but are
there is an opportunity. “And I can assure you zones and they had a designated ecological safety infrastructure. on the same wave length as Europeans.
there is,” he said. barrier that couldn’t be developed on. Moving to AstraZeneca’s aim was to make all medicines “If I was an SME I wouldn’t go directly to
Jimin Peng, a senior economist at the clean energy and developing a smart grid were that were available in other countries available in China, but doing it through Hong Kong there is
Academy of Macroeconomic Research of National also important. China, deliver innovative and relevant medicines potential for a deeper relationship with Hong
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) On the life sciences side, Jeanette Evans, who and access China’s capabilities in R & D. AZ had Kong and China for mutual benefit. We can learn
China, spoke about exploring this opportunity. is executive director for corporate business already collaborated on a drug that was wholly from each other and capitalise on each other’s
He said the country was into its 12th five-year development at AstraZeneca, said that China was developed in China. strengths.”
plan and sustainability was very much part of currently the most important pharma growth area China’s medical needs were different, with This was, said Martin Garratt of Cambridge
that. The country’s energy consumption was high, at the moment. Asia accounting for 78 per cent of cases of liver Cleantech, a relationship companies were keen to
a burden that the environment could no longer cancer and 74 per cent of gastric cancers, 92 exploit: “With full capacity for the dinner and
sustain. million cases of diabetes in China and 100+m conference there is evidence of an appetite among
The goal was to reach a balance between cases of heart disease. In recent years China, she businesses and UK businesses are recognising the
nature and mankind. To achieve this the key was said, had improved its capabilities, expanded its opportunities. It’s a win-win scenario.”
to transform China’s economic structure. talent pool and also strengthened its IP process. China, he said, was looking to grow rapidly,
“China is determined to change. We are in the What surprised Tony Gale, director of but increasingly in a cleaner way than the West
middle phase of industrialisation but there are commercial operations at General Electric UK was did 100 years ago. “They have learnt from our
huge differences within the country. Our high that China was still referred to as an emerging mistakes,” he said.
demand for energy has led to environmental country. Alan Barrell, who is a Judge Business School
damage.” At GE they had business units but China had Entrepreneur in Residence as well as adviser to
Since the end of the 11th five year plan in a business all to itself. “China will be the catalyst Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks
2010, energy consumption had reduced by 15 per that turns the cleantech evolution into a Corporation, believed that this type of
cent (with the target being 20 per cent). revolution,” he said. “China is doing exactly the collaboration was the way forward.
The 12th plan was even stricter and one that same as other countries and innovative “My role is both to encourage overseas
must be achieved, he said. China did, for example, companies should think what they want to investment into our region but also to advise. It’s
waste 100m cell phones per year, and achieve and how to deliver it. about connecting science parks of today with
development was needed in this area. “It has to have commercial benefit though. science parks of tomorrow – creating a world
Sustainable industries were emerging and When solar subsidies went in the UK, for example, without borders and breaking down barriers.”

2. BUSINESSWEEKLY September 20, 2012 5
www.businessweekly.co.uk @businessweekly NEWS
Cambridge companies told they can thrive in Hong Kong
by Tony Quested
Hong Kong science & technology pioneers
have put out the welcome mat to Cambridge
and East of England companies keen to build
a lasting relationship with the territory and
build bridges with Asia.
Nick Brooke, chairman of Hong Kong
Science & Technology Parks Corporation,
said that if, say, a dozen Cambridge
CleanTech, BioMedTech, and ICT companies
wanted to band together and embark on a
mission of discovery in China his
organisation would be thrilled to host it.
He told Business Weekly: “Hong Kong has
always been regarded as a stepping stone to
China but it represents a far greater
opportunity. Hong Kong in its own right is a
fabulous place for UK companies to do
business.
“We can facilitate a soft landing by
introducing companies to contacts and
networks, brokering partnerships and
collaborations, helping them find staff.
“The culture and laws here are very
similar and the environment at the Science
Park alone stimulates business growth. Of
course there is the added advantage of
having access across the delta to China and
also to wider Asia.
“We don’t want to see this week’s event
in Cambridge become a one-off. There has to
Exploring the China Opportunity', welcome reception and conference. Photo credit : Alan Bennett/Media Imaging Solutions
be a legacy in terms of a deep, long and
lasting relationship to leverage the clear Cambridge via HiWave Technologies, the Decade’ – maximising CleanTech plays Brooke said: “Our own science park
synergies.” audio technology trailblazer. across a broad spectrum from energy to prides itself on its energy efficiency. We call
Phases I and II of the Hong Kong Science Continued expansion and diversification waste and water. it a living laboratory. We are not only turning
& Technology Park have been completed at a can be anticipated over the next 10 years. He was interested to meet Michael Evans, the park into a showcase of advanced,
cost of US £1 billion and that swells to Brooke said HKSTPC had become far more CEO of tidal power pioneer Green-Tide energy-efficient technologies but also
$1.5bn with Phase III. There are now 400 proactive in its international outreach in Turbines, over lunch on his Cambridge visit. auditing current buildings and retro-fitting
companies on the park and another 150 will recent years, basking in the autonomy it had The young Cambridge company is already the latest techniques and products.
be accommodated by the new phase. been granted by Beijing. being courted by global governments and “We are keen to keep this momentum
While 60 per cent of park tenants are He urged Cambridge technology cluster eulogised by UK political leaders. going and that means continuing to engage
home-grown, the other 40 per cent come companies to engage with HKSTPC as it Further BioMedTech collaborations with world-leading technology clusters such
from all over the world – including exploited what is being called ‘The Green would also be welcomed, he said. as Cambridge.”