Centre for Innovation - SME Engagement Springboard
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: IT Services
Abstract
This proposal is focussed on increasing the impact of high-performance computing in industry. Through a number of activities the Centre for Innovation will work with industry partners to increase their knowledge of high-performance computing, illustrate how it might assist them in their product development or commercial enterprise, and build stronger links into University innovation. The activities will include workshops, highlighting case studies that the industry participants can relate to, proof of concept applications, and appropriately targeting communications materials.
Planned Impact
This proposal is focussed on increasing engagement with SMEs and lowering the barriers to use of the Tier 2 HPC facilities. As identified in the report "A Strategic Vision for UK e-Infrastructure" there is potential for UK industry to increase growth through better use of e-Infrastructure, in this case HPC. It is our goal to realise this potential, at least in part, and to raise the use of the Centre for Innovation facilities by industry partners.
Organisations
| Description | This award has allowed the engagement of SMEs with high-performance computing. This has been completed through targeted approaches, case studies and events. Through appropriate communications we have been able to lower the barriers to high-performance computing and have seen an uptake through increasing website and social media traffic, with researchers, SMEs and industry, not only in the UK but globally. A series of high quality, case studies have been funded: see https://www.ses.ac.uk/case-studies/ and https://www.ses.ac.uk/tag/gateway-to-research/. Videos have been uploaded to the SES website and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqLif70Cl46AvyENEvSdGfxZ78_dulo-I) highlighting the applications of HPC. We have had direct engagement with industry partners - along with researchers and the public - through sponsoring events see https://www.ses.ac.uk/events/list/?tribe_paged=5&tribe_event_display=past and specifically https://www.ses.ac.uk/2016/04/27/bringing-hpc-alive/ . Together with the case studies and videos documents were produced to support industry users of HPC. An example of such is the "Barriers to HPC for SMEs'" document (through UCL Enterprise). This is available online and has been shared with the other regionals centres and the EPSRC. (http://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/79/2015/11/HPC-for-Industry-blue-Report.pdf) |
| Exploitation Route | The work to date will continue to support engagement with SMEs and provides a continuing basis for collaborative working on computational problems. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Creative Economy,Education,Energy,Environment,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy |
| URL | http://www.ses.ac.uk |
| Description | For many SMEs, it is not always easy to see how HPC is used in the real world. The consortium used this EPSRC grant to support researchers in taking forward research and case studies that begin to address the barriers facing industry when it comes to accessing HPC. The case studies demonstrate the research made possible through its use and its practical application to industry. A series of high quality, case studies have been funded: see https://www.ses.ac.uk/case-studies/ and https://www.ses.ac.uk/tag/gateway-to-research/. Videos have been uploaded to the SES website and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqLif70Cl46AvyENEvSdGfxZ78_dulo-I) highlighting the applications of HPC. The grant allowed the purchase of audio visual equipment which allowed in-house production, removing the need and cost of going through a third party. These have included a video-based case study on Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXvLV25Lre0&list=PLqLif70Cl46AvyENEvSdGfxZ78_dulo-I?dex=2&t=0s) which was developed using this equipment. We have had direct engagement with industry partners - along with researchers and the public - through sponsoring events see https://www.ses.ac.uk/events/list/?tribe_paged=5&tribe_event_display=past and specifically https://www.ses.ac.uk/2016/04/27/bringing-hpc-alive/ . Together with the case studies and videos documents were produced to support industry users of HPC. An example of such is the "Barriers to HPC for SMEs'" document (through UCL Enterprise). This is available online and has been shared with the other regionals centres and the EPSRC. (http://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/79/2015/11/HPC-for-Industry-blue-Report.pdf) |
| First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Energy,Environment,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |