The new Advanced Technology Institute is a great initiative and much needed but will get off to a slow start unless business is deeply involved in it from the outset, the Employers and Manufacturers Association says.

“Science, R&D and innovation are the building blocks for our economic future and the ATI could become the leading place for their development,” said Kim Campbell, EMA’s chief executive.

“But without the full buy in and deep involvement of business at the outset it is destined to start off slowly.

“Science on its own won’t realise its potential for delivering wider economic benefits unless business can integrate tightly with it and want to invest more in it.

“Without much more science and R&D, the success of all our businesses will be far less than we need it to be to maintain our standards of living.

“Science and business need to work together on research projects of potential value to both our knowledge base, and commercial success.

“Access to the ATI must not be limited to our high tech high flying companies but act as a magnet for wide business involvement in science and R&D.

“Merely setting up an institution such as the new ATI and instructing it to grow new technology based firms won’t of itself do this efficiently.

“So while the announcement of the ATI is very welcome its really a statement of commitment that must be matched with actions demonstrating how science and business will communicate and integrate at a fundamental level.”