Thursday, 23 January 2020
Small and medium sized businesses in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire will be able to access free research, innovation and productivity support as a result of a new £4.6m project being run by the University of Nottingham.
Driving Research & Innovation is a three-year collaborative programme involving the Precision Manufacturing Centre, Chemistry Innovation Laboratory and Food Innovation Centre at the university, which will provide support to 240 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire regions.
£2.3m funding is being awarded to the University via the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), using funds secured by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with an additional £2.3m being invested in the project by the University.
Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.
The project is available to SME businesses from all sectors, and as a collaboration between three centres includes a focus on food and drink, chemistry using businesses, and engineering and manufacturing. Driving Research and Innovation will help businesses improve their innovation culture, competitiveness and productivity through utilising the knowledge, skills and technology accessible to SMEs through the University.
The innovation and productivity challenges of every business will be addressed through collaborative R&D projects to produce new products, processes and services, interactive workshops, dissemination events, and one-to-one consultancy designed to help businesses innovate, explore new ideas and grow.
This project represents an exciting opportunity for businesses to tap into the world-class expertise and technology available at the University, and to examine how their businesses can adopt a culture of innovation to aid growth and enhance productivity.
It builds upon our very successful ‘Enabling Innovation’ project which supported more than 2,000 local SMEs within Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as part of the project.”
For more information on how the Driving Research & Innovation project might benefit your organisation, contact daniel.symes@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 748 6717.
The project (either has received or is receiving up to) £2.3 million of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit the website.
Story credits
More information is available from Daniel Symes, Project and Business Manager in the Precision Manufacturing Centre, University of Nottingham on +44 (0)115 748 6717, daniel.symes@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
More news…