Deadline: 19-Oct-20
The Growth Platform has launched Future Innovation Fund Pilot programme which has been established by the Metro Mayor to support Liverpool City Region’s (LCR) small and medium sized enterprise (SME) community.
The Pilot aims to incentivise SMEs to innovate, adapt and diversify in response to or in spite of the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic and its associated impacts on the economy and society.
Program Scope
Eligible projects must demonstrate alignment to the following priority areas for the LCR:
- Delivering a sustainable industrial future: businesses seeking to take advantage of new opportunities in materials, manufacturing and engineering.
- Open health innovation: business initiatives to enhance health & wellbeing, during and following the pandemic.
- Global cultural capital: activities to support the resilience of LCR’s cultural vibrancy during and following the pandemic.
- Zero carbon economy: businesses pioneering sustainable approaches to living, travel and doing business in a post-pandemic world, for example linking to the circular economy, mitigating single-use plastic and non-reusable PPE.
- Tech for good: businesses that use technology and data to drive growth and improve society, including but not limited to “smart city” applications, high performance computing, data science and AI.
- Digitalisation: initiatives in any other sector that will yield a clear improvement in business productivity, adaptability and/or diversification.
Funding Information
- Grant funding to cover eligible costs between £25-£75k on a strictly needs-justified basis.
Eligibility Criteria
Any SME based, or with significant operations, in the Liverpool City Region, who can demonstrate a strategically aligned and viable project plan, capability to deliver, value for money, social impact and a clear need for grant funding. Applicants must satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants were carrying out trading or pre-trading activities / registered as active on Companies House on or before 31 March 2020,
- Applicants have paid all relevant taxes company is liable for as at the date of application submission (unless deferred/delayed in line with HMRC’s pandemic support measures),
- Any grant funding awarded will be used to fund activities with demonstrable impact within 6 months from date of the grant award,
- Applicants shall not use any grant funding for:
- working capital and other ordinary course business purposes,
- operating directly or indirectly in the tobacco industry,
- production of products/services used solely in the defence industry,
- operating in the gambling or adult entertainment industries,
- any activities with impact on religious movements,
- any illegal activity; and
- any activities with an adverse impact on human or animal rights.
- Prior to funding being awarded, will not have received more than £180,000 of public funds in the three years preceding the date of application.
- Applicants agree to participate in:
- webinars or similar events to showcase the innovation activity funded by the grant and promote future calls under the fund,
- peer to peer engagement and mentoring activity to other businesses where appropriate, and
- promotional marketing and communications activity.
For more information, visit https://growthplatform.org/future-innovation-fund/