New £4million project will boost businesses in Nottinghamshire

‘Driving Research and Innovation’ is a three-year collaborative programme involving the Precision Manufacturing Centre, Chemistry Innovation Laboratory and Food Innovation Centre at the University of Nottingham, which will provide support to 240 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire regions.

A total of £2.3m funding is being awarded to the university via the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), using funds secured by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with an additional £2.3m being invested in the project by the university itself.

The European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses and create jobs.

The project is available to SME businesses from all sectors, and as a collaboration between three centres includes a focus on food and drink, chemistry using businesses, and engineering and manufacturing.

‘Driving Research and Innovation’ will help businesses improve their innovation culture, competitiveness and productivity through utilising the knowledge, skills and technology accessible through the university.

The innovation and productivity challenges of every business will be addressed through collaborative projects to produce new products, processes and services, interactive workshops, dissemination events, and one-to-one consultancy.

Professor Dame Jessica Corner, pro-vice-chancellor for research and knowledge, said: “This project represents an exciting opportunity for businesses to tap into the world-class expertise and technology available at the university, and to examine how their businesses can adopt a culture of innovation to aid growth and enhance productivity.

For more information on how the project might benefit your organisation, contact [email protected] or 0115 748 6717.