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Reduce the cost, risk and time of setting up your business in the UK

Now is the time to invest in the UK — costs are low, labour is plentiful, and no matter which region you choose, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) will help you make the move with a tailored 'soft landing' package.

Thanks to its flexible labour market, world-class universities and research base and hi-tech, innovative business community, Britain is the top major European economy in Forbes' "Best Countries for Business", and the world's leading international financial centre, according to the 2009 World Economic Forum Financial Development Report. Click here for more

Pacific 2010 indundated by British business

Over 50 British companies are coming to Pacific 2010, Asia Pacific's biennial maritime, naval and defence exposition, to be held in Darling Harbour from 27-29 January.

Around 440 companies from 22 nations will take part in the event alongside the UK delegation, which is headed up by Richard Paniguian, Head of United Kingdom Trade & Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO). Click here for more

UK's massive £1.5 billion infrastructure project kicks off

Work began this week on one of the UK's largest infrastructure projects ever, the London Gateway port site.

DP World is behind the £1.5 billion development, which will be Europe’s largest combined deep-sea port and logistics park.

Situated on the north bank of the River Thames near Thurrock in Essex, the 1,500-acre site is twice the size of the City of London. It will give unrivalled deep-sea shipping access and transform the movement of freight around the UK, reducing road haulage and cutting CO2 emissions. Click here for more

They just have to step over that line

It is simply a line across the cobbles but the prime meridian line at the Royal Observatory in London is one of the most celebrated and important markers on the globe, for it is the centre of world time - every place on Earth is measured in terms of its distance east or west from it.

In this, the International Year of Astronomy, the famed line where Greenwich Mean Time is set, celebrates 125 years of existence. Visitors from across the world - the observatory now welcomes more than two million every year - enjoy being pictured straddling the line, one foot in the east and the other in the west, as a high-point memento of their trip to the UK. Click here for more

London remains best business location in Europe

London is celebrating two decades at the summit of European business locations. The latest European Cities Monitor has ranked London top for the 20th consecutive year.

The number-one European city in which to locate a business has also extended its lead over its nearest rival, Paris. The United Kingdom capital came first in all three major ratings criteria: access to markets, supply of talent and digital and physical connectivity.

Michael Charlton, chief executive of Think London, said: "London has proved exceptionally resilient to the downturn and has intentionally turned some of its effects to its advantage. Click here for more

Giant Oyster generates green power from the sea

A huge new machine called "Oyster" - designed to harness the power of ocean waves and turn it into green electricity - has been installed on the seabed off the Atlantic shores of the Orkney Isles north of Scotland.

The Oyster is undergoing demonstration trials to prove whether its innovative technology could lead to a commercial source of renewable energy for use in seashores around the world.

In contrast to many other wave power devices, Oyster uses hydraulic technology to transfer wave power to shore, where it is converted into electricity.

"A key design feature is a 18-metre-wide oscillator based on fundamental research at Queen's University Belfast led by Professor Trevor Whittaker using their wave tanks," said Dr Ronan Doherty, chief technical officer of Aquamarine Power, the Edinburgh-based company that developed Oyster. The design won the company the Innovator Award at this year's British Renewable Energy Awards. Click here for more

Business Dragon fires up young entrepreneurs

It's never too early to learn about the business world. Entrepreneurial skills should be taught to youngsters in primary school. Furthermore, children's books should be available to show them how to set up their own companies.

That's the view of highly successful business tycoon Peter Jones, head of many and various companies, and well known to the public as a straight-talker offering free advice (and investment, often) to would-be entrepreneurs on popular TV business ideas programme Dragons' Den, franchised across the world. Click here for more

The kitchen tap that turns into a fire-fighter

About 60 per cent of domestic fires start in the kitchen, according to experts. Now, two young brilliant innovators have come up with the idea of using the ordinary kitchen sink tap to double up as a fire sprinkler.

Their potentially life-saving invention has been hailed as a system that could replace the smoke alarm as the essential home safety item. Called the Automist, the device can detect smoke and fire but it goes one vital stage further - it puts out the blaze by aerosolising (misting) the water from a standard kitchen tap/faucet.

• Click here for more

Cement mix makes light body armour

It sounds unbelievable but engineers at the University of Leeds in England really are working on a new type of body armour made from . . . cement.

The bullet-proof vests will combine super-strong cement with recycled carbon-fibre matter to make a material tough enough to withstand most types of bullets - and light enough to wear.

The cement armour project, still at the early research stage, is being carried out at the School of Civil Engineering at Leeds University.Click here for more

Scientists uncover genetic links to Alzheimer's

Large research investment has led to a breakthrough in the battle against Alzheimer's disease. Two genes that increase a person's likelihood of developing the most common form of Alzheimer's have been discovered in the largest study of its kind into the illness.

This international study - which received major funding from the Medical Research Council in the United Kingdom - is a significant step forward in understanding how Alzheimer's develops. It opens new areas for further research into potential treatment and genetic screening. Click here for more

Sugar research sweetens biofuels progress

Two forward-looking corporations have teamed up to develop the potential production of biodiesel fuel from renewable products such as sugar cane waste, woodchips and more.

The global BP energy group of the UK and the Martek Biosciences company of the US will work together toward making cost-effective, microbial biodiesel through fermentation.

Philip New, chief executive of BP Biofuels, said: "As an alternative to conventional vegetable oils, we believe sugar-to-diesel technology has the potential to deliver economic, sustainable and scaleable biodiesel supplies.

"In partnering with Martek, we combine the world's leading know-how in microbial lipid production with our expertise in fuels markets and applications, and our more recent experience in biofuels production and commercialisation," he added. Click here for more

UK's biggest ever AusBio delegation brings home the business

The UK sent its biggest ever delegation to AusBiotech in 2009, generating an estimated £2.5m of new business for the two years to come.

The UK delegation, organised by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and consisting of 19 companies and academics, visited AusBiotech with the aim of developing partnerships and sharing ideas and research with their Australian colleagues. The UK companies reaped the rewards of this combined approached and expect to be doing plenty of business with Australian companies in years to come.

Quentin Tannock, Chairman of Cambridge IP, one of the visiting companies, was particularly impressed by the success of his trip. Click here for more

Building UK-Australian partnerships at AusRAIL Plus 2009

Fourteen UK rail companies took part in Adelaide's AusRAIL Plus in November, and came away with plenty of business and new Australian partners.

The conference and exhibition, from 17-19 November, gave the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) trade mission the chance to explore opportunities in the rapidly developing Australian market, and meet key powerbrokers and leaders in the rail industry.

The companies in the diverse UKTI group reported a range of successes, and intend to encourage yet more businesses in the UK to consider Australia as a prime market in these times of financial uncertainty. Click here for more

WA and NT energised by UK Delegation

An 18-member delegation of UK companies visited Western Australia and the Northern Territory in late November in yet another demonstration of the importance that British companies place on doing business in Australia, especially in sectors like energy, and oil and gas.

This visit was part of a growing number of UK companies looking to further their business interests down under, attracted by the strong economy and the similar business and cultural environment.

The arrival of the UK companies in NT and WA was part of a joint initiative developed by the Energy Industries Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia, the Northern Territory Government and UK Trade & Investment. The companies attended industry briefings and met key stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, strengthening existing relationships and establishing new ones. Click here for more

Australian debut for UK rail safety experts

Leading UK-based rail safety company Zonegreen has joined forces with an Australian agent to launch its products into the rapidly developing Australian market.

Zonegreen - a world leader in the application of electronic control systems and depot personnel safety - will be working with Andrew Engineering, a long established Australian company based in West Heidelberg, near Melbourne. Click here for more

Australian children benefit from British storytelling website

Children across Australia are benefiting from a unique storytelling website developed in the UK.

Hundreds of children are enjoying some of the best books every day in sign language, English and animation on www.signedstories.com. A spokesperson from Aussie Deaf Kids said the website is a "great initiative" for families and teachers in Australia who are "starved for this kind of resource".

Signed Stories is being viewed in classrooms in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia where they are shared by deaf and hearing children, those with special educational needs and those learning English as a second language. Click here for more