Cels

Cels is the organisation tasked by the regional development agency One NorthEast to steer the healthcare sector in North East England and grow this economy by GBP1bn per year by 2015.

This is being done in four main ways by building and managing first-class business and research infrastructure, by placing the region on the world stage through internationally recognised networks, by managing emerging technology and stimulating the formation of new business ventures, and lastly by offering business start-ups management and financial assistance.

With regard to the first of these, Cels recently opened new, high-specification incubator facilities for healthcare businesses in Newcastle University's Medical School and is currently developing additional space at the International Centre for Life in Newcastle. There are plans for healthcare-based business park developments ranging from Northumberland in the North of the region to county Durham in the South. Cels is also involved in plans for a regional protein analytical facility, an assistive technology laboratory and new, high-grade imaging facilities.

With regards to networks, Cels manages the Healthcare Network, a support service for the region's many healthcare companies. The Cels Healthcare Network is a membership organisation which includes the full spectrum of healthcare companies, with members active in assistive technology, biologics, health informatics and medical devices. Cels also manages BioNEt, a network of over 1,200 healthcare and life science researchers in North East England and acts as a regional hub for a number of UK networks and trade associations and is currently developing trading links with governments, business parks and healthcare clusters around the world.

The third area is technology management and Cels is involved in a wide range of relevant activities. These range from acting as the commercial agent for the North East Stem Cell Institute to assisting individual companies with commercialising and business plans. Cels also created and co-manages InSTeP, a regional design initiative for the development of innovative healthcare technology and services.

The fourth area is Ventures. Cels Ventures was set up to, amongst other things, deliver management talent into start-up companies. Cels assists in the management, financing and fundraising for new companies. As well as this, Cels manages equity holdings in four companies.

For more information about healthcare and life science activities in North East England, visit:

Cels-www.celsatlife.com

Cels Healthcare Network www.hcnetnee.com

Further information is provided on their web site at http://www.celsatlife.com/

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