Growth UK Symposium 2025

Overview

As part of the NTPMI programme, the Growth UK consortium will host a 3-day residential symposium for Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) in the Thin Film Growth and Deposition community. Taking place at a beautiful location in rural Surrey, the symposium will highlight the wide array of cutting-edge thin film research being facilitated by RTPs in the UK, provide a relaxed environment in which to build relationships with other RTPs in the community, and offer an extended opportunity for engagement with the leading industrial players in the field.

Programme

The symposium programme encompasses keynote speakers, techniques and expertise sessions, industry stands and presentations (see below for our symposium sponsors), non-technical challenges workshops, as well as a complimentary gala dinner, voluntary poster session and an optional social walk in the East Horsley countryside.

Keynote Speakers

• Jane Nicholson, Executive Director for the Research Directorate at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• Richard Curry, Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation, University of Manchester
• More speakers to be confirmed

Download the full Growth UK Symposium programme, including speaker bios, here: NTMPI Growth UK Symposium 2025 Programme

Summary of Agenda:

Day 1: 12:00 – 16:15 ; Gala Dinner from 18:30

Day 2: 09:00 – 17:30; Dinner from 18:30

Day 3: 09:00 – 12:00; End of Conference

Audience

This symposium is designed for RTPs in the Thin Film Growth and Deposition community.

Costs: NTPMI will cover the attendance fee, accommodation, and travel costs for attending RTPs.

Background

Growth UK is an RTP-led consortium, coordinated by the universities of Cambridge, Imperial and Leeds, and facilitated by NTPMI. It aims to build a network of specialists in the Thin Film Growth and Deposition community, and provide enhanced access to technical training, peer-to-peer networking and engagement with industry.

Sponsors

Gold Sponsor:

scia Systems

scia Systems provides thin-film process equipment based on advanced ion beam and plasma technologies. The systems are used for coating, etching, and cleaning processes with nanometer resolution and have been successfully implemented in various high-tech industries worldwide, including microelectronics, MEMS, and precision optics industries.

Due to their modular design, the systems are suitable not only for high-volume industrial production but also for development environments, such as cluster configurations. Our wide range of processing technologies includes etching processes, like Ion Beam Trimming, Ion Beam Milling, and Reactive Ion Etching, as well as coating processes such as Ion Beam Sputtering, PECVD, and Magnetron Sputtering

Silver Sponsors:

Inseto

Inseto is a leading technical distributor of equipment and materials to the microelectronic and advanced technology sectors. With four specialist product divisions provide high-technology solutions from fabrication through packaging and test to research and industrial customers throughout Europe.

• Adhesives: A comprehensive range of technical adhesives for automotive, electronic and other advanced industrial applications.
• Equipment: Providing fabrication, assembly and test equipment for research and production of semiconductor devices and related technologies​.
• Materials: For assembly materials and machine consumable products used in microelectronic, photonic and high frequency devices etc.​
• Wafers: A wide range of wafers and substrates supplied worldwide, including silicon, compound semiconductor and glass.

Kurt J. Lesker

The Kurt J. Lesker Company is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of high-quality vacuum technology solutions. Founded in 1954, the company has earned a strong reputation for delivering cutting-edge products and exceptional customer service across a wide range of industries. Lesker serves clients involved in advanced research and production applications, including semiconductors, thin-film coatings, optoelectronics, energy storage, aerospace, and life sciences. With facilities in North America, EMEIA, and Asia, the Kurt J. Lesker Company supports a global customer base and ensures consistent quality and responsiveness. The EMEIA Headquarters is located in Hastings, East Sussex, UK and was founded in 1991.

At the core of the company’s mission is a commitment to enabling innovation through precision-engineered vacuum systems and components. Their product portfolio includes PVD and ALD deposition systems, HV and UHV vacuum chambers, pumps, fittings, feedthroughs, and materials for thin-film fabrication. Lesker is also known for its comprehensive support services, offering system design, customization, and technical expertise to meet the unique needs of academic, government, and industrial customers. Their solutions are used in the development of cutting-edge technologies such as OLEDs, organic and perovskite photovoltaics, quantum devices, magnetic thin films, thin film batteries, and general nanotechnology.

Labman

At Labman we design and build bespoke laboratory automation systems tailored to our clients’ specific needs. Based in North Yorkshire, UK, we work across a wide range of industries including pharmaceuticals, materials science, and agriculture. Our multidisciplinary team delivers custom robotics, software, and integrated systems that improve efficiency, accuracy, and reproducibility. Every project is unique, whether it involves liquid handling, sample preparation, testing, or full workflow automation. With a strong culture of creativity and collaboration, we pride ourselves on solving complex challenges and enabling labs around the world to accelerate research, improve data quality, and innovate with confidence.