Business Innovation Funds for the Food Sector

Event Information

Join us for breakfast, networking, and to find out about current funding available in Grimsby, and Greater Lincolnshire to help food sector SMEs innovate and grow.

Grimsby Institute, University of Lincoln, and partners can provide no-cost access to R&D, innovation, and business consultancy to food-based SMEs.

This briefing and networking event will allow business owners, managers, and decision makers to meet with our experts.

During this workshop, each of four funds will be introduced (or re-introduced), and their particular niches explained – along with how they can help your businesses, and examples of work that has already been, or can be covered under these schemes.

The food business support expertise that is supported by these funds and can be drawn upon from GIFHE, E-factor & UoL is wide ranging and varied:

Food Refrigeration (Chilling Freezing, Blasting, Storage)

Process Engineering

Food Safety, Quality & Legality

Food chemistry & microbiology

Food Sustainability and Market Insights

Automation and Robotics

Supply Chain

Computer Science and Technology

General Business Support including financial management, marketing, and staff development

Energy and sustainability

Then you will have the opportunity to network and discuss with our experts on a one-to-one confidential basis about a concept, idea, or challenges you may have, to prepare a plan to take the business forward and gain support.

Project Outlines

UEZ Fund

Access to 3-5 days of technical services and consultancy support, including researching and trialling of new and improved products, new technologies, manufacturing processes, packaging, consumer insights, sustainability and related consultancy, all at no cost to the company. Support can contribute to related capital expenditure.

GLAFIP

Fully-funded, one-to-one support focussed on developing practical solutions for new products, processes, and services. This project aims to use applied research to resolve any technical business needs you may have.

COTEMACO

For companies looking to adopt and integrate robotics and automation into their food production facilities. This fully funded scheme will help businesses with technical feasibility assessments and development of business cases for subsequent commercial decisions

Gain

This support can help businesses develop new networks and supply chain support, innovation, productivity improvement, market planning and product and service innovation in order to support competitiveness.

Smart Energy Greater Lincolnshire

Smart Energy Greater Lincolnshire is a £9.2m project being delivered by North East Lincolnshire Council. The aim is to reduce energy use and Carbon output in SMEs. The project includes grants to cover more than a third of the cost of energy saving measures, and also offers a free 12-hour program to help start a green revolution within local businesses.