sg meeting - torino 23.04.03 sg meeting torino 23.04.03 phill giles ttc1 vi workshop - rome...

SG meeting Torino 23.04.03 Phill Giles TTC 1

SG Meeting - Torino 23.04.03

European Virtual Institute for Thermal Metrology VI Workshop - Rome

• representatives from 5 existing and 2 new EU projects

• “Business Models and Business Management of Virtual Institutes”

• actually an update on progress with a description of business plan

• all 7 VIs have different missions

• high degree of commonality of experiences

• most opt for non-profit status




Key Lessons:-

• VI workshops are extremely useful - need funding

• “The priority and focus is what do you want to sell to whom, not what sort of entity or the software contractor”

• “Start the business as soon possible – it is easy to run out of cash.”

• all existing VIs set up in the state of the Coordinator

• all VIs having difficulty getting actions, responses and decisions from most members on time




Message for evitherm:-

•Make decisions on legal entity and software provider quickly

• concentrate on clearly understanding and preparing your product

• begin raising a cash flow as soon as possible

• enable the consortium to respond to prompt actions and good, timely communication

• consider building systems in line with ISO 9000




• we have agreed to endeavor to make evitherm a site of excellence, authority, independence and financial stability

• we are fortunate to have the experience the of other VIs

• we have been given the privilege to work together as a cohesive group to achieve this aim

• we need to work pro-actively to achieve our actions on time!



European Virtual Institute for Thermal Metrology



European Virtual Institute for Thermal Metrology Review of Data Policy

• final draft circulated last week

• general acceptance of the document by SG

• hope to approve the document today as the basis for the evitherm web site, data and specification

• outstanding issues:

- should all non-linked data by paid for in addition to the annual fee?

- still no clear picture of what the data will look like



European Virtual Institute for Thermal Metrology Business Options

ACTION A.3:

“PG said he would consult other VIs about problems they had encountered in setting up their legal entities and present a summary of them. He would then talk to professional companies about the various options for the EVITherM legal entity. He would report on business types and give examples of non-profit organisations. This information would be provided to the SG by the end of March 2003.”




• apologies for not circulating report by end of March!

•cost of using lawyers to advise on non-profit organizations in European states was too high

• agreed to limit our consideration to France, Italy, Germany and UK

• contacted Pierre, Joachim& Guenther, Baljit & Dennis and Franco to seek further information

• consulted legal and financial professionals on a no-cost basis




• Germany - eingetragener Verein, e.V.

• France - association Loi 1901

• UK - Company Limited by Guarantee

(Trusts and charities discounted)

Three non-profit formats:-

• all non-profit, limited liability, surplus non-taxed

- thanks to all those who provided information




e.g. UK - Company Limited by Guarantee

• each member a shareholder

• £1 share - limit of liability

• elect directors annually

• rules - ‘articles and memorandum of association’

• these are very flexible

• written to meet our needs

• non-profit

• no dividend

Members

directors

evitherm

administration

evitherm website

customers




Before considering these options further:-

- other VIs and legal/financial advisers strongly recommend that “administration and legal entity be located in same state”

- accounts simpler and less expensive (translation), communication, changes in legislation

- administration needs to be highly motivated (usually in state of PC)




• need to agree location of administration and entity

NOW!

• we can then begin to develop the rules of the non-profit organisation in that state with a view to registering in 2004




• Bob and I assisted NPL staff create interim web site

• I met Trainor Thornton Ltd who write NPL sites

• their view - “not a complicated site. . . . . .”

• issue is - resolving site details interactively with members

• this company has good references & is not expensive

Web site - information gathering




• received one pair of recommended web authors (!)

• other VIs/software experts recommend:-

Web site

Linux operating systemApache web serverMySQL database PHP middleware / scripting engine

The advantage of this system is that it:-uses open standards (e.g. in contrast to MS based IIS)open source, big community, no licence feesbig number of installations, approved stability

LAMP based architecture




• needs based specification

• to be developed from data policy, draft to SG by end May

• agree NOW - how to selecting vendor

• important to recognise advantages of in-house, in-country software vendor

Web site - specification



European Virtual Institute for Thermal Metrology Web site Promotion

Build up a library of e-mail addresses of interested people from the beginning of the project, utilising the questionnaires.

Use the website from Month 13 to provide information and log any interested parties.

Write articles on EVITherM for the technical and industrial press throughout Europe. This should be timed with the website launch.

Presentations and displays should be made at all relevant conferences.

Encourage providers of thermal equipment and services to promote EVITherM to their customer base.

sg meeting - torino 23.04.03 sg meeting torino 23.04.03 phill giles ttc1 vi workshop - rome...

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