A group of North East SMEs have been given funding to access university expertise and drive forward ground-breaking projects as part of moves to create a legacy for the Great Exhibition of the North.
Collaborate is the research and development strand of GX, a two-year business innovation programme forming part of the Great Exhibition of the North.
The scheme has been developed to help SMEs and scaleupse in the North East unlock their capacity for innovation and collaboration to develop new products.
Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and delivered by NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) in partnership with Innovation SuperNetwork and Newcastle City Council, the Collaborate project has linked 16 SMEs with Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside universities.
The partnerships are each worth up to £11,000 and will encompass a minimum of 60 hours’ support over a three to six-month period.
Carol Bell, director of major events and festivals at NGI, said: “Innovation is key to the success of any business, as well as the landscape and society in which it operates.
“Many major businesses already collaborate with our universities, but it can seem like a daunting or unfamiliar process for smaller organisations to navigate, which is where the Collaborate fund and associated support comes into play.
“It enables ease of access to some of the best academic expertise, leading edge research and technology to address specific business problems through innovation, and ultimately to accelerate the growth of their businesses.
“In brokering these relationships, we anticipate that our most ambitious and innovative SMEs will one day become leaders in their field, playing a major role in the future of society.”
The Collaborate programme is aiming to show how working with academic institutions can create opportunities for companies to tap into a wider knowledge base than their current networks might allow.
One of the firms that has been successful in securing funding is Medintu, a Sunderland-based digital health care organisation that is working in partnership with the University of Sunderland.
Medintu CEO, Reddy SV, said: “As a small organisation we knew we wanted to access academic expertise, but we had no idea where to start. Through the Collaborate scheme, NGI was able to understand our strengths and needs, and match us to the right university, bringing the right people to the table.
“Our project is complex and requires a multi-disciplinary approach, and NGI’s support has helped us to shape our partnership project with clear and deliverable objectives and timelines. We’re looking forward to collaborating with the University of Sunderland team.”
The companies involved in the scheme are MAADIGITAL, Mymo Group, e2E Satcom, DroneOps, New Writing North, Martel Instruments, Nosebleed Interactive, Schoolhere, Tender Connect, Indigo multimedia, Nebula Labs, Tapes, Southpaw Dance Company, Medintu, Almere Streets Systems and PlaceChangers.
