BIC Banter
GREAT NEWS, INNOVATE UK INVESTING IN LOCAL CATAPULT CENTRES
Innovate UK are investing £215m for the UK’s Catapult Innovation and Research Centres. The BIC interacts regularly with these centres and if a Staffordshire business is looking to carry out research on new products our R&D Adviser Rachel can help to access the support they need.
Cakes Galore for Children In Need 2018
Sandra & Rachel from the Staffordshire BIC visited the tenants at the Sutherland Institute selling cakes for Children in Need. As usual, the tenants dug deep into their pockets and a total of £38 was raised towards the Children in Need. Many thanks to Spec Check, V Prep, Interlock Digital, Cats & Carbs, Find A Home, Longton Libary
OPEN ROUND OF GRANT FUNDING FROM INNOVATE UK
Just thought I’d let you know that there is currently an OPEN Round of Funding running from Innovate UK for innovative business focussed projects as opposed to pure research. Usually funding is available for specific sectors and industries but this is an OPEN round so worth considering. Applications can come from any area of technology, science or engineering including arts, design, media or creative industries and be applied to any part of the economy.
GREAT BRITISH INVENTIONS TO INSPIRE YOU
As an island, it is generally felt that Britain had a head start on Innovation. We designed and developed products out of need and led the Industrial Revolution. It wasn’t difficult therefore for BBC 2 to come up with 50 Great British Inventions for their Genius of Invention season.
Raising Money For Children In Need 2017
The BIC is Out and About This Autumn
If you are looking to catch up with the Business Innovation Centre there’s good news as we are out and about quite a bit this autumn.
INVENTOR PRIZE – £50,000 LAUNCHED
CLOSING DATE 22nd October 2017 The Inventor Prize launched on 9 August 2017 by NESTA is open to products that relate to any issue as long as that product helps to make people’s lives better, thereby helping to tackle a social issue affecting the UK.
NEWS RELEASE
The Business Innovation Centre’s New Product Development Grant has now been increased to just under £10,000 This grant financed through the European Regional Development Fund will help Staffordshire based B2B companies pay for external expertise to help them research and develop a new product or service. Since the European funded project was launched in April 2016 the BIC has awarded over £400,000 to local businesses to employ experts such as Product Designers; Market Researchers; Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys; Testing Facilities and E-commerce specialists to help them with their innovations.
Business Boost 2017
CLOSING DATE 17th September 2017 CALLING NEWCASTLE UNDER LYME ORGANISATIONS £1,500 is up for Grabs for winning a Business Boost Award. Entering and Winning Business Awards is a great confidence booster for businesses and worth a little time and effort in applying.