Innovation Bridge

3 April 2017

Supporting your business to innovate and grow with free advice, access to specialist university expertise and grants. Innovation Bridge is partly financed by £1.948 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Innovation Bridge is a three-year business support project worth nearly £4m, running until summer 2019 offering access to:

• three days of FREE academic support to help develop an action plan for developing a new product or service
• grants of between £1,000 and £15,000, to implement your plans covering up to 30% of the investment

Innovation Bridge is open to:

• start-up and existing businesses with fewer than 250 employees
• businesses that are looking to grow and develop a new product or service
• businesses based in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Rutland, South Kesteven, South Holland, Uttlesford District, North Hertfordshire and the South East Midlands: Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury Vale, Northamptonshire and Cherwell District.

Nick Lancaster, Director of Innovation and Enterprise at University of Bedfordshire, said: “The Innovation Bridge project is an ideal way for companies to benefit directly from our world-class research expertise; whether it is to start a new business, create a new product, process or service or indeed, to become more productive or access new markets. Universities like ours want to help you boost the levels of innovation in companies, creating wealth and jobs, spreading new knowledge and supporting new opportunities for transforming our region’s SMEs.”

Stephen Catchpole, Chief Executive of SEMLEP, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the exceptional work of the Innovation Bridge project, which is giving local businesses the opportunity to kick-start their growth.

“By championing innovation and working closely with the outstanding expertise at our disposal we can propel businesses to the next level and boost the regional economy, creating new jobs in exciting, ground-breaking industries.”

To find out if your business is eligible contact the Innovation Bridge team on 0300 300 8582 or visit the website.