Business support finder

SfB Grant for Research and Development - North West England

Description

This Solutions for Business product provides grants to help businesses carry out research and development work that will lead to technologically innovative products or processes.

There are five types of grants aimed at supporting different types of research and development projects:

• proof of market grants to test the commercial potential of an innovative idea for a new technology
• research grants for assessing the technological and commercial feasibility of turning highly innovative technology into a new product or process
• micro development grants for developing a simple, low-cost prototype of an innovative product or process
• development grants for developing a pre-production prototype of a new product or process involving a significant technological advance
• exceptional research and development grants for the development of a new technology that is strategically important to an industrial or technology sector

Value

Grants for the various strands are:

• proof of market projects: £5,000 to £20,000 (60 per cent of costs)
• micro projects: £5,000 to £20,000 (45 per cent of costs)
• research projects: £20,000 to £100,000 (60 per cent of costs)
• development projects: £20,000 to £250,000 (35-40 per cent of costs)
• exceptional projects: up to £250,000 for research and up to £500,000 for development (60 per cent of research costs and 35-40 per cent of development costs)

Eligibility

Individuals planning to start a business in England and businesses with fewer than 250 employees already operating in England may apply.

Additional Info

As well as the offering in your region, this grant is also offered nationally by the Carbon Trust to businesses looking to develop new low carbon technologies.