Actons solicitors have announced that they have become corporate partners to the Nottingham CleanTech Centre.
Actons, a leading independent legal practice in Nottingham for nearly 200 years, announced the move as the CleanTech Centre ran its first Enviro-Entrepreneur “Bootcamp” event.
Actons have recruited heavily over the last year from a number of leading law firms, including Eversheds, Browne Jacobson, Wragge & Co, Geldards and others. The firm sees the partnership with the CleanTech Centre as a natural extension of its existing expertise in working with new technology and high growth companies.
Tom Gray, from Acton’s corporate team commented: “We have significant experience in advising clients in high-technology businesses in a range of sectors. These include University ‘spin out’ companies, bio-tech and medical device businesses, including many based in Nottingham’s BioCity hub.
Clean technology is a central part of the Nottingham Growth Plan and the Nottingham Creative Quarter initiative. We see it as an important area for future economic development of the City, job creation and the wider East Midlands region.
Nottingham already has a number of highly successful companies in this sector, and we are delighted and privileged to be working with the Centre to support the emerging clean tech “cluster” developing in and around Nottingham.”
The CleanTech Centre was opened in 2011 by Bob Pynegar and Dr Nick Gostick. It provides business incubation and development to start-ups and small companies. Firms can also access business support and finance and residents benefit from onsite mentoring and in-house training and events.
The Centre is located next to the University of Nottingham’s Innovation Park and Jubilee campus, where the University recently unveiled its new Energy Technologies Building. The £6.5 million centre will see cutting edge research into energy efficiencies, carbon capture, renewables, biomass and related areas, often undertaken in collaboration with business partners and others.
Nick Gostick commented: “Having worked before with the team at Actons, we know that they are experienced in advising both high growth and new technology businesses. The firm is experienced in specialist intellectual property advice and equity investment work. It is therefore well suited to advise the new and emerging businesses we hope to see grow and thrive in the CleanTech Centre.”
