TAMESIDE businesses can access more than £1 million of funding as part of a scheme aimed at rapid commercialisation and growth.
Innovation Navigator, launched by the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub, is designed to help firms at bringing innovative ideas to market in the artificial intelligence (AI), data and advanced computing, diagnostics and genomics, and sustainable advanced materials sectors.
Set to run until March 2025, it will see companies in the area receive specialist advice aimed at giving them greater knowledge and equipping them with the skills for future growth.
The Local Innovation Connector (LIC) in Tameside will identify local businesses who are suitable to progress with the programme.
Once they have been introduced to it, they will receive ongoing support from a relevant and highly experienced commercialisation specialist (CS) who can take their project forward.
The Tameside LIC will also help their local businesses access a £1.6 million Innovation Grant Fund.
Paul Halliday, of Tameside LIC, said: “I have had the great pleasure of supporting over 500 businesses of varying sizes and sectors over the past 20-plus years, across Tameside and the wider Greater Manchester area – helping them to unblock research and development barriers and speed up their time to market.
“I help companies in Tameside that are working with emerging technologies to take things off the backburner and put them into action.
“Having worked with any number of cutting-edge businesses, connecting them with the right solutions for their specific challenges, I can safely say that Innovation Navigator is the ideal catalyst for taking ideas forward, overcoming issues, and bringing new products and services to market.”
Innovation Navigator will also help to unlock local academic knowledge, with the University of Bolton, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Manchester and the University of Salford all opening their doors to share resources, encourage research and development and begin meaningful collaboration.
Businesses can also tap into the expertise of industry associations, business support services, local government, research technology organisations and the private sector throughout Greater Manchester and beyond.
Yvonne Grady, head of innovation at the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub, added about Innovation Navigator: “This is a fantastic programme which will benefit key businesses in the artificial intelligence, data and advanced computing, diagnostics, genomics and sustainable advanced material sectors across Tameside.
“Innovation Navigator aims to springboard technological change so we can bring new products and services to the market at a faster pace which will enable businesses across the area to take full advantage of the emerging technologies at their fingertips.
“This work is set to be a game-changer for them and we believe it will bring benefits to local residents too.”
For more information, go to https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/innovation/innovation-navigator.