LTN have trained 'Business Fellows' from 4-5 star departments across London, the East and South East region to map the technologies of their peers within their department and act as the main contact for industrialists keen to work with their departmental technologies. Business Fellows take part in a 10-part training programme with follow on support sessions, and are typically senior research scientists. They are trained and supported by LTN to optimise the interactions between their department and industry. 

'The Business Fellow training was fantastic.  One of the things that I certainly learnt was to look at businesses and think about what they want, rather than ask why aren't they doing it.  I've also rediscovered two new compounds I never knew I had - these are being thought of as valuable intellectural property and are being developed further by the Business Development Office at UCL'  Dr Rajiv Jalan, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Hepatology, University College London

'The training was really useful. If you get a look at my activity forms you'll see that a lot of activity is actually not coming from LTN - I'm doing it myself. But the fact that I am part of LTN gives me first of all the ability to engage in these activities, and secondly when I'm accessing businesses and talking with them I'm using the things that I learnt through the training.'  Muki Haklay, lecturer in Geographical Information Science at the Department of Geomatic Engineering, University College London

'I don't think I could do this without the training. In fact that's one of the reasons I decided to become a Fellow, because I felt that I would learn a lot. I'm a scientist, I'm trained to do science, I'm not trained to think the way industry does. I think the most important thing for us is learning how patenting works..how licensing works, but with examples.' Dr Jodi Lindsay, Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases, St George's, University of London

'The BF training was very useful. From an educational point of view, I can relate what I have learned to my colleagues, and the information that there are revenue avenues, for us was particularly useful.' Professor Brendan Wren, Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis, London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine 

If you are interested in learning more about Business Fellows and Business Fellow alumni, please email Supti s.sarkar@ltnetwork.org