Innovation vouchers for Catapult centres available

The latest round of Innovate UK Innovation Vouchers seeks applications from SME manufacturers to bid for £5,000 of funding to bring in specialist knowledge to unlock the commercial potential of breakthroughs in technology.

Commitment to driving innovation and growth through the development of high growth manufacturing businesses continues to be supported through a fresh round of funding released recently by Innovate UK.

Innovations Vouchers provide SMEs with funding so that they can work with an external expert for the first time, gaining new knowledge to help drive innovation and growth. Often, businesses need help to bridge the gap between early innovation and industrial-scale manufacturing. This is where the Catapult Centres can provide the right level of expertise to help tackle the most pressing business challenges.

You can apply if your business:

• is a start-up, micro, small or medium-sized business located in the UK
• hasn’t worked with the intended knowledge supplier before
• will use the vouchers to access expertise required to tackle a business challenge that needs specialist help
• uses the voucher to address a business challenge that applies to one of the Innovate UK priority themes
• hasn’t received an Innovation Voucher from Innovate UK before.

You can use the Innovation Vouchers at the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centres to secure specialist services that can help your business to develop, prove, prototype and scale-up processes for the next generation of products and processes. Our Centres may also be able to help you with the submission of your application.

Vouchers are worth £5000 and can be used against a range of services at our Centres, including:

• Design development – help in responding to a design challenge (DFMA).
• Routes to manufacture – inputting to the best manufacturing solution.
• Process improvement – e.g. actions to resolve an out of control process.
• Metrology – support for measurement related activities including investment decisions.
• Manufacturing simulation – understanding the savings that can be realised
• Process development – development or improvement of chemical or biological processes.

Interested and eligible SMEs should apply online at Innovate UK’s Innovation Vouchers website before the 29th of April 2014. In this latest round of funding 100 businesses will be allocated £5,000 of Innovation Vouchers each which once awarded need to be allocated to a knowledge transfer project within six months.

Apply here