Innovate UK Business Growth (previously Innovate UK EDGE) provides advisory support to businesses to help them to exploit innovation for growth. The support also includes helping to source funding and accessing new markets and there is also a programme for high growth businesses.
Expert Advice
Innovation advisory support can help businesses manage innovation, connect to the innovation ecosystem such as Catapults and Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) and harness intellectual property by linking into the services provided by the International Property Office (IPO).
Catapults provide access to equipment and expertise in areas of strategic importance. This can be an important step to validate ideas before companies make their own capital investments. Find out more about the Catapult Network on its website.
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult is located in the heart of the Port of Grimsby, leading the development of the world’s biggest offshore wind “living lab”.
The High Value Manufacturing Catapult: Nuclear AMRC is in Derby and offers facilities, engineering expertise and sector specialists to help develop innovative techniques and optimised processes for large-scale high-precision manufacturing.
The Satellite Applications Catapult is situated at Leicester Space Park, contributing to a vibrant cluster community of scientists, students, technicians, engineers, and businesses.
Read more and make an enquiry via the Business Growth website.
International Markets
Businesses can access several ways to build knowledge of global markets, including through developing R&D and innovation collaborations and partnerships, and helping to find potential end users or customers.
They can also access global partnerships, incubator and innovation programmes and link into the Horizon Europe R&I opportunities.
More information is available here.
Funding
Funding can be in the form of grants & Non Equity Funding, Debt Finance or Equity Investment. This handy guide gives information about the funding choices depending on whether the businesses is early stage, growth stage or later stage.
Grant funding is often awarded through a competition process with grants ranging from £25,000 to £10,000,000 It is important to thoroughly read the Guidance for applicants before progressing with an application.
There is a Funding Finder where you can search for opportunities. Business Lincolnshire add the competitions that are most relevant locally to the Grant and Support Finder.
