Faculty of Science and Technology

Collaborate with two world-class universities and realise your ambitions for business growth through R&D.

• Are you an ambitious business?
• Has a lack of time and resources prevented you from developing your ideas for innovative new products, processes and services?
• Could you realise your growth ambitions through intensive R&D collaboration with a world class university?
• Do you want to enter new international markets and benefit from our global reach?

If the answer to the above is yes and you want to benefit from over £100K of funded R&D support then you are the kind of business the new Centre for Global Eco-innovation wants to collaborate with.

The Centre for Global Eco-Innovation

The Centre for Global Eco-Innovation brings together the expertise, resources and global contacts of Lancaster University and the University of Liverpool, together with international commercialisation consultancy Inventya Ltd. The aim of the centre is to form collaborative R&D partnerships to enable and drive innovation in businesses, supporting the development of new products, processes and services for the global marketplace that have positive environmental benefits.

An intensive 3-year programme of funded R&D collaboration for 50 of the region's most ambitious businesses.

To launch the centre, we are seeking 50 Northwest Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that have a clear and original concept to form the basis of a collaborative research and development project with either Lancaster University or the University of Liverpool. These will be substantive collaborative projects starting in October 2012 running over three years. Projects must underpin the development of a new product, process or services with positive environmental benefits for the global marketplace. Each project will be undertaken by an appropriately skilled, qualified and experienced graduate with a background in science, technology or engineering. We are particularly interested in working with businesses which have ambitious plans for growth and entry into major export markets.

Why register a project?

• Gain resources and time to develop innovative new products, processes and services.
  We provide the extra resources to help your business develop its R&D capability. We will review your business research project, innovative idea or problem and provide you with a highly qualified graduate to take this research forward on a full-time placement basis and explore it intensively for you.
• Benefit from significant funding R&D collaboration.
  The centre is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund. Funding support available to each of our collaborating SMEs will exceed £100K in value. You only pay £4,000 per year towards the costs of your appointed graduate researcher. Multi SME collaborations are welcomed.
• Tap into our global networks
  The centre brings together the expertise, resources and global contacts of Lancaster University and the University of Liverpool, together with international commercialisation consultancy Inventya Ltd.
• Increase profitability through new the introduction of new innovative products, processes and/or services and make your business more competitive.

Timescales

There is a rolling call for projects from Feb 23rd to May 31st 2012. Competition will be high and places are expected to be filled in March and April. Collaborative projects start in October 2012. Shorter-term collaborations of 3-6 months and business mentoring to 135 businesses are also available.

Dr Ruth Alcock, Project Manager for the Centre, commented "Recruitment is going very well so far with over 1350 graduates registering interest and companies from all over the Northwest registering projects that have the potential to create products with huge environmental benefits and increase the economic performance of the region."

Register your interest online now or for more information see www.cgeinnovation.org/business or email enquiries@cgeinnovation.org

Sat 21 April 2012