IMWG Funding & Opportunities
Innovation Accelerator – Clean Futures
Deadline: 10 September 2023
This programme led by the Connected Places Catapult, supported by Coventry University and the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, aims to support companies involved in the decarbonisation of transport. £50K will be available for each company as well as a suite of non-monetary support. This fund is now open to applications, and there is an explanatory webinar on 1 August (register via the same link).
APC24 – Industrialising Net Zero Automotive Technology
Deadline: 20 September 2023
UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £20 million for late stage R&D projects that help accelerate the UK towards a net zero automotive future. Projects must advance technologies in energy storage and batteries, fuel cells, electric machines, power electronics, fossil fuel free internal combustion, hydrogen storage and management systems, design for circular economy and digitalisation for vehicle development.
Innovate UK Smart grants: June 2023
Deadline: 27 September 2023
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £25 million for game changing and commercially viable R&D innovations that can significantly impact the UK economy. The funding is from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. The grant has focused eligibility criteria and scope to support SMEs and their partners develop disruptive innovations with significant potential for rapid economic return to the UK.
West Midlands Growth Programme
Existing small-to-medium sized businesses based in the Shropshire Council and Birmingham areas can apply for grants from £5,000 to £100,000. The funding can cover new business start-ups (Birmingham only) expanding and growing businesses, inward investment, developing new market opportunities, innovation, including new product development, capital investment, an increase in the productive capacity of new and existing premises through new property builds, refurbishment and extensions and digital projects. The majority of applications are expected to be for an average grant of between £10,000 and £20,000. To receive the application, email wmgp@birmingham.gov.uk
BEAT – Business Energy Aid Toolkit
Reduce your energy consumption by up to 90% with WMG. In many cases the biggest problem facing businesses today is the rise in energy costs. For many, the true effect will not be realised until they come out of their current contract, meaning for many the effect has only just begun to bite. The WMG Business Energy Action Toolkit (BEAT) team are helping manufacturing SME’s review their energy consumption and help them identify how to reduce their cost of energy by reducing consumption. This not only helps maintain or increase profitability but assists the SME on the way to net zero. A win, win situation! For more information, please go to the link. link.
HSBC SME Fund for the West Midlands
HSBC have put a comprehensive range of support in place to support SMEs who are struggling financially with the cost-of-living, including a £15bn fund, cost-of-living webinars, and support from HSBC UK’s specialist financial support team.
The Supplier Skills Programme
This £4 million programme is providing training grants to support a wide range of qualifications in order to support SMEs to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and develop their staff and their skills. Training grants of up to a maximum of £50,000per SME are available, and training will be funded 50% by the grant and 50% by the SME. Training must be accredited by the Ofqual Framework or recognised by industry and professional accrediting bodies, and can be for qualifications from Basic to Level 7 (Masters) or equivalent, and licence based qualifications. This funding will be delivered through rounds which will be held on a quarterly basis until the programme closes in December 2023.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain recognition for companies of at least 2 or more employees who are having strong commercial growth and success or leading the way in the market with innovation or sustainable developments. The award brings great recognition including worldwide recognition, greater coverage by the press and a sense of achievement for the company’s staff. Click here for more details about the event
