Small and medium-sized businesses across the West of England are being encouraged to apply to a £4m fund that aims to help them develop new products and services and create jobs.
The UWE Innovation4Growth (I4G) programme part funds research and development projects with grants of between £25,000 and £150,000 to cover up to 35% of the project’s total cost.
Financed through the Regional Growth Fund, the I4G programme aims to support businesses to create new, and safeguard existing, jobs through the development of innovative products, technologies, processes and services. 
Last year 40 businesses across the West of England received I4G grants, creating 183 jobs and safeguarding nearly 250 existing jobs between them.
One of the businesses to benefit from I4G last year was Bristol-based games developer Opposable Games, which has developed Salvaged, a real-time tactical sci-fi action game.
Managing director Ben Trewhella said: “Our I4G grant has enabled us to take on four new members of staff and to protect the jobs of five existing colleagues. It is really exciting to see the intended results of the funded project coming to fruition – to be launching the game demo and to be preparing to take the full version into the marketplace.”
Another I4G grant recipient, Matthew Lloyd – managing director at award-winning Bristol lighting manufacturer Global Design Solutions – said: “The I4G Team was very engaged with SMEs and with the challenges that faced us as a growing company.
“The impact on the company has been fantastic. We have increased our staff by 30% and have become much more commercially attractive. We now have companies asking to partner with us – from the UK and the US.”
A distinctive characteristic of the I4G scheme is the university’s emphasis on providing businesses with practical, face-to-face support throughout the application process, primarily at its confidential drop-in sessions held across the South West.
UWE pro vice-chancellor for research and business engagement, Prof Martin Boddy, said: “We are delighted to be offering another round of I4G funding. Last year the programme was directly responsible for attracting more than £7m of private sector investment in research and development and grant beneficiaries committed to securing 432 regional jobs. On that basis, the new fund means new products, new services and hundreds of jobs for the South West.
“We take our role as a supporter of SMEs and a facilitator of innovative research and development activity very seriously. Building networks that help to promote economic growth, sustainability and innovation is at the heart of our corporate strategy, and is reflected in the initiatives we lead, from I4G to the highly successful iNet South West projects.
“Our research and business development managers are ‘hands-on’, supportive professionals, who put the needs of the businesses they engage with first – helping them to achieve their commercial goals. This distinctive approach was recognised last year when UWE became the first university to be shortlisted for the National Business Awards, in the Blackberry Business Enabler category.
“Any business in the South West that is undertaking an innovation or research and development project – from start-ups and micro enterprises, to more established companies – should consider applying for an I4G grant. Our ‘enabling’ approach is evident in the simple application process and in the support available through the advisors. We aim to make the process as painless as possible.”
UWE is holding drop-in advice sessions for potential applicants next week. For more information, or for a confidential discussion about a potential application, contact the I4G Team on: innovation4growth@uwe.ac.uk.
