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E-business Minister Welcomes University of Warwick base for $1 million Sun e-incubator

Originally published 29 June 2000

e-Business minister Patricia Hewitt MP is to visit to the Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick to launch and welcome the new WMG/Sun e-business incubator programme. The e-incubator is a process designed to foster and implement e-business plans developed by students. The WMG/Sun incubator program will give students an opportunity to use Sun technology to turn bright ideas into commercial enterprises.

"In the new e-business world those that embrace the new technologies and share good practice are more likely to succeed. Too often excellent ideas are nipped in the bud because innovative people don't have access to the right information or resources. This incubator programme will give students the technical support they need to develop their e-business ideas and give them a better chance of success," said e-Minister Patricia Hewitt MP

"Under the WMG/Sun Incubator programme students will be provided with a technical infrastructure to develop their e-business ideas. It will help start-ups to reduce time to market, reduce technical and financial risk, making use of the expertise available at WMG", said WMG Director, Professor Kumar Bhattacharyya.

"What differentiates the WMG/Sun e-incubator is that the types of business we will be looking to initiate will be in the real product, business to business, infoware sector rather than in the e-retail areas," he added.

"The dot com age is all about partnering with the best to be able to receive exactly the right advise and support at exactly the right time. It is also about sharing ideas and skills, drawing on the necessary knowledge and experience of others. Whilst new-economy companies can operate remotely, they do need to cluster with like minded companies to maximise the potential success of their ideas. That is the environment we are seeking to create at WMG", said Shanker Trivedi, Vice President, UK & Ireland, Sun Microsystems.

The Sun e-business incubator will form part of the new e2 centre being developed at Warwick by WMG. The incubator concept being developed by WMG and Sun Microsystems will drive small start-up manufacturing companies and existing SMEs to fully benefit from the new technology opportunities available today. Focusing on WMG's recognised world leadership position in manufacturing, process design, and product design. The WMG/Sun incubator will provide new and existing businesses with the help, facilities, consultancy, and support they need to be successful with their new technology venture.

For further details please contact:


Nick Matthews,
Warwick Manufacturing Group
Tel 024 76572506
email: MATTHE_N@wmgmail.wmg.warwick.ac.uk

Contact at Sun Microsystems: Jon Tutcher: 01276-455269

Further information about the above press release and all other media services at the University of Warwick can be obtained from:

Peter Dunn, Press Officer
University of Warwick
Coventry, CV4 7AL
West Midlands
Tel: 024 76 523708
Email: puapjd@warwick.ac.uk