Industry News

BIS: The British space industry has grown by nearly 8% through the recession and is now worth over £7.5bn to the economy, a UK Space Agency report (The Size and Health of the UK Space Industry) has revealed. 

The report is the latest update of a biennial survey of British companies involved in the sector. It shows the space industry has grown by more than 10% on average over the last 2 years.
Press release ~ The Size and Health of the UK Space Industry ~ UK Space Agency
 
TfL: London's city-wide electric vehicle charging network, Source London, will launch in Spring 2011, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has announced.  Source London, which will deliver 1,300 public charging points across London by 2013, is part of the Mayor's plans for London to become the ‘electric vehicle Capital of Europe’.
 
The Source London network will create a single visual identity for electric driving across the Capital and allow members to charge their vehicles at any one of these public charging points for no more than an £100 annual membership fee.
 
Currently electric vehicle drivers have to register in each separate borough they want to use charge points in.  In preparation for this new network a website - www.sourcelondon.net - has also been launched providing a one-stop-shop of information on electric vehicles, including charge point locations across the city.
Press release
 
OS: After an intense weekend of planning, perfecting & pitching, 2 winners have emerged from the inaugural GeoVation Camp, both of which will now have a chance to win a share of £25,000 to help make their ideas a reality.
 
GeoVation is Ordnance Survey’s innovation network which seeks to encourage the use of geography to address specific needs.  The GeoVation Camp, held at the King’s Cross Hub, was designed to take the best ideas from the How can Britain feed itself? Challenge, and turn them into prototype ventures & enterprises. The 2 ideas judged to have the greatest potential were City Farms and Food Nation, which will both now go forward to the GeoVation Showcase in May.
 
There are 3 GeoVation Challenges being run as part of the current awards programme.  The second, How can we improve transport in Britain? is still open to submissions and thanks to support from the Technology Strategy Board’s Ideas in Transit Project, has an awards fund of £150,000. The third Challenge will launch in the New Year.  
Press release
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