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Opportunities for North East businesses to help respond to COVID-19

During this hugely difficult and unpredictable time for everyone, we’re seeing large numbers of businesses, nationally and here in the North East, stepping forward to help front line services.

This ranges from manufacturing products like ventilators and hand sanitiser, to the creation of new consortia which are working together to develop and test medical equipment.

To help support the response to COVID-19 across the North East, there is now an online directory which you can find on the North East Growth Hub. This lists current calls for support – from requests to provide rapid sanitising technology for ambulances, to an open call for creatives to use their skills to help spread public health messages.

Visit the Rapid Response Requests Directory here.

There are opportunities for organisations in a wide range of sectors to help.

We’ve seen manufacturing businesses move quickly to re-align their activity to manufacture PPE, sanitiser and ventilators. Here in the North East, firms have offered the use of their transport and logistics facilities, and laboratory spaces. Newcastle University has also worked with the Royal Navy to transport seven of its qPCR machines to the NHS in Milton Keynes, which will be used to help process thousands of samples from people suspected of having the virus.

All parts of the economy are affected by this crisis and businesses of all shapes and sizes are being forced to do things differently. Our usual ways of working are being challenged on a daily basis and as a result we are seeing new ways of collaborating and new solutions to the challenges that COVID-19 is bringing.

Innovation is about coping with change, and this situation is forcing us all to change and adapt. Innovation is more important than ever and it will continue to be important in the post-COVID environment – we won’t be doing things in the same way anymore and innovation will be at the centre of future-proofing our economy.

Right now, sitting back and waiting isn’t an option. We need to unleash the capabilities of people and businesses here in the North East who can help support the response to COVID-19. We need to pull together to find solutions as quickly as possible, and the best way to do this is through collaboration and innovation.

Alan Welby, Innovation Director.

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North East SMEs invited to join Energy Innovation Challenge

North East SMEs are being invited to put forward their solutions to global energy challenges as part of the Energy Innovation Challenge. The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (North East LEP’s) Energy Innovation Partnership Manager, David Lynch, explains more.

Since I started working for North East LEP in the autumn of last year, I’ve been leading the North East Energy Catalyst – a new partnership which unites the North East’s leading energy innovation, demonstration and delivery capabilities. Leading the North East Energy Catalyst has given me a unique insight into the strength and breath of what this region has to offer and it has been a fascinating journey.

Now we are stepping up the delivery phase of the North East Energy Catalyst by launching an Energy Innovation Challenge Programme, supporting regional SMEs to bring forward solutions to global energy challenges.

I’m excited to be leading a series of three energy innovation challenges throughout 2020/2021, inviting SMEs within the North East LEP area to submit responses to each challenge.

A cohort of up to 10 successful businesses per challenge will be identified by an expert panel drawing on North East Energy Catalyst member expertise. The successful cohort will receive a programme of support which will help them develop their solution and bring it to market.

Our support will comprise specialist business and commercialisation advice facilitated by the North East LEP and the Innovation SuperNetwork, along with leading regional energy specialists through the North East Energy Catalyst.

In addition to this programme of support, businesses within the cohort will have an opportunity to secure funding towards the development and commercialisation of their business. Programme partner Northstar Ventures will offer £20k investment, subject to eligibility, to ten businesses across the programme. Participant SMEs with well-developed business cases will also be invited to submit matched grant applications for Local Growth Funding (LGF) of up to a further £20k.

The first challenge is centred on finding scalable solutions for decentralised and decarbonised energy. Whilst any solutions relevant to the overarching challenge are welcomed, three specific examples are provided below to help frame the type of solutions we are looking for at different scales:

  • Micro-scale: ditching diesel generators – diesel generators are commonly used by industry to provide mobile and reactive power supply for various uses, with hundreds of off-grid homes in the North East also relying on generators for power. What innovative alternative solutions may be available for domestic or commercial premises or vehicles?
  • Community-scale: power to the people – an emerging solution to bring power generation or charging infrastructure to communities is to utilise incumbent local utility infrastructure such as community buildings, sub-stations, or water/sewage pumping facilities as a hub. What innovative concepts and solutions centred around this infrastructure could provide decarbonised and decentralised energy for community use?
  • Macro-scale: commercial energy productivity – key employment sites like business parks, and development sites such as enterprise zones, can be energy-intensive and suffer from grid-constraints. What innovative, decentralised solutions could help ensure secure, affordable and sustainable energy to attract businesses, reduce their costs, and improve energy productivity?

An application form for the Challenge can be found here.

Further guidance for applicants can be found here.

Applications will be assessed by an expert panel comprising of North East Energy Catalyst partners; Northern Powergrid; the North of Tyne Combined Authority; Northumbrian Water; the North East LEP; and Innovation SuperNetwork; and programme partners Northstar Ventures.

This is an exciting time for me and my colleagues at the North East Energy Catalyst. The North East is built upon a legacy of innovation in power, from steam to electricity and now sustainable energy – we are a force to be reckoned with and now is the time to propel the North East onto the global energy stage.

 

European Regional Development Fund 

North East Energy Catalyst is part funded via the Innovation SuperNetwork by the European Regional Development which includes the Catalysing Innovation in North East Clusters project, which is receiving up to £1.24m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

 

 

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Funding available for business Incubator space

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) is inviting applications from Incubator projects which match the strategic aspirations set out in the Strategic Economic Plan and the innovation programme with significant potential to make a demonstrable contribution to the Incubator network within the region.

Projects must demonstrate clear links to the Strategic Economic Plan and be able to provide a clear and coherent programme of business incubation support.

We anticipate that the North East LEP will be asked to fund around 50% of the capital costs of the (re)development incubator space (subject to State Aid). The maximum grant available will normally be up to a maximum of £500,000 however in exceptional circumstances, where there is clear demand and a strategically significant project is put forward a higher level of funding may be awarded.

Prospective applicants, who can be from public, private or voluntary sector, are encourage in the first instance to read the Project Call Information document which can be found along with other supporting information on our funding page.

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Funding available for early stage Innovation projects

The North East is already home to excellent innovation assets supporting key sectors and facilitating open-innovation across our themes; but we know there are gaps and areas where we could do more. The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) is therefore inviting bids from early stage innovation projects to come forward for development stage funding that will help to prepare Business Cases that can help deliver the ambition set out in our Strategic Economic Plan.

Projects that are able to demonstrate clear links to the SEP and key Government policy (such as the Industrial Strategy), and are anticipated to be of large scale and/or significant impact in key sectors are encouraged to come forward. Funding available through this call is to support the costs of getting projects ready to produce a high-quality business case for public or private investment. This could include a HM Treasury Compliant, Five-Point Business Case – the funds are not for projects at implementation/build stage.

We anticipate that the North East LEP will be asked to fund around 50% of the costs of the development of a project (subject to State Aid) up to a maximum of £100,000.

Prospective applicants, who can be from public, private or voluntary sector, are encouraged in the first instance to read the Project Call Information along with other supporting information on our funding page. Please note this call complements the broader Innovation Project Pipeline process but is not limited to projects already prioritised. If you have a project idea you would like us to consider for the pipeline please get in touch.

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In conversation with Professor Stuart Corbridge, Vice-Chancellor of Durham University

Education employs 85,000 people in the North East and offers significant opportunities for more and better jobs in the region, directly and indirectly. Durham University is a world leader and has a ten-year strategy to invest £1 billion in people, and digital and physical infrastructures. Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge explores how universities can make a major contribution locally and globally, support a diverse and vibrant economy, and help tackle the country’s productivity challenge.

Education has long been a North East success story. But it’s not just part of our heritage, it’s a key sector for our future too: both in nurturing the highly-skilled workforce of tomorrow, and as a major employer, innovator, and exporter today.

Here at Durham, we’re not just England’s third oldest university; we’re making significant investments to ensure we remain a world-class university: investment that is absolutely necessary as we face increasing competition from universities in Asia, North America, Europe and elsewhere.

Universities already make a sizeable contribution to the economy: over £50 billion GVA in 2014/15, according to Universities UK. Our own figures suggest we were responsible for around £1.1 billion of that total.

At Durham, we employ 4,300 staff and have 18,400 students – considerable numbers in a City with a population of around 65,000.

But we believe there is also great potential for growth: the average student head count across Russell Group universities is 27,000; and the average staff roll is 7,700. So we’re in a period of carefully planned expansion: to recruit an extra 360 academic staff and grow our student numbers to 21,500 by 2027.

We believe we can achieve these targets because we continue to attract high calibre staff and students from around the world. We are also consistently ranked among the world’s top 100 universities (most recently 78th in the QS World University Rankings 2020).

But this isn’t just about us: the North East stands to benefit hugely from our success and from that of all the universities in the region: Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria and Sunderland.

It’s estimated that international students contribute around £700 million a year to the North East economy. As we and others look to attract more students from overseas (our target is 35% by 2027) this income will grow significantly.

Education and training is another valuable export industry. We continue to benefit from English being the international language of choice and the long-standing reputation of UK education. Many of our alumni hold senior roles in government and industry worldwide.

The value of education exports to the UK was almost £20 billion in 2016, and the value of transnational education within that, though still relatively small (£1.8 billion), was up 73% on 2010, showing the growing attractiveness of this option to overseas students.

We also need to tackle the big challenges facing our home economy – not least the productivity gap. Universities are well-placed on this front as we collaborate with industry to develop new technologies, research new ways of working and deliver high-level skills for the workforce of the future.

The Northern Accelerator programme, which brings together Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria and Sunderland Universities, is helping researchers to spin out and commercialise ideas, leading to the formation of potentially high-growth, research-intensive businesses linked to the research expertise here in the North East.

The Intensive Industrial Innovation Programme, which involves Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria and Teesside universities, is helping SMEs access academics, PhD students and research facilities to address their research challenges, leading in turn to the development of new products and services.

And the Durham City Incubator, a partnership between ourselves, Durham County Council and New College Durham, is supporting and encouraging graduate and student enterprise: helping our graduates stay in the North East and creating new and better jobs.

We’re all aware of the challenges facing us, but working together as a region we can drive success. Universities aren’t businesses in a conventional sense. We don’t have shareholders, nor do we seek to maximise profits. But we do deliver jobs, value and innovation. We are major enterprises in the modern economy. We are anchors for the future of the North East.

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In conversation with Alan Welby, Innovation Director at the North East LEP, about the opening of The Biosphere

In 2005, the last batch of Newcastle Brown was produced at the Newcastle Breweries site, which stood opposite another of our city’s iconic buildings, St James’ Park.

Exported to more than 40 countries across the world, Newcastle Brown helped put Newcastle upon Tyne on the map. Fast forward to 2019 and a new building on the former brewery site is about to do the same.

The Biosphere, part of the Newcastle Helix development in the city centre, is a specialist lab facility tailored to commercialisation of life sciences. Home to some of the most innovative and pioneering health and life sciences companies operating today, the work they do in our region will impact people across the world.

The life sciences sector is one of the fastest growing areas of industry in the North East. From CPI’s (Centre for Process Innovation), world-class centres at NETPark in County Durham to the Centre for Life in Newcastle, we have developed a strong cluster that will be bolstered by the opening of The Biosphere.

Congratulations should go to Newcastle City Council for spearheading the project. It demonstrates the city’s ambition and forward thinking approach to growing our economy and creating more and better jobs by investing in sectors linked to the UK’s Industrial Strategy. Without specialist facilities like The Biosphere, ambitious companies within life sciences, healthcare and emerging fields of biotechnology will go elsewhere and that would be bad news for our region.

Being based at Newcastle Helix not only gives companies access to essential support services but also opens a wealth of opportunities such as access to university expertise and research but also the potential of collaboration with others on site – and it’s when companies collaborate that will see real innovation happening which can unlock business growth.

Let’s not forget, we also have a large NHS footprint in the North East, which means we’re home to the UK’s largest research active public health system. North East Health Trusts lead the rest of the country for involvement in clinical research with Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust ranked first for the last six years. That’s provides a significant opportunity for health and life sciences companies working in our region.

It’s for those reasons and more the North East Local Enterprise Partnership was happy to invest £8.6m in The Biosphere from the Local Growth Fund. We recognise its importance to growing the sector and our economy as a whole. More needs to be done to commercialise the health and life sciences sector and The Biosphere will provide the right environment for that to happen.

Newcastle Brown may longer be brewed on Tyneside, so I hope you’ll join me in raising a glass of Wylam Brewery’s Jakehead IPA, or another of your favourite local ales, to toast the opening of The Biosphere.

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North East to pilot Open Innovation 2.0 Lab, working in partnership with European SMEs and multinationals

SMEs in the North East are being given the opportunity to partner with European businesses to develop new projects, solving problems posed by multinational manufacturers such as Nissan, Caterpillar and Komatsu.

 

The North East has been selected to pilot the Open Innovation 2.0 Lab programme which is designed to encourage cross-border collaboration and to give SMEs the opportunity to devise solutions to problems faced by large manufacturers.

Alan Welby, Innovation Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), explained: “We know we have innovative, forward-thinking businesses here in the North East and this project will give those companies the chance to access real business opportunities with some of the largest manufacturing companies in Europe.

“The North East, along with Stuttgart, has been selected to pilot this programme and we will be matching international businesses that have industrial challenges with SMEs from our region and from Europe who can work together to provide solutions.”

SMEs which take part in Open Innovation 2.0 Lab will be given a real-world challenge which is faced by a large manufacturing business and invited to submit an idea for a possible solution. Those which are selected for the programme will be partnered with a European SME to further develop their idea and will also receive a €5000 voucher to support their work.

“We are strong believers in collaboration and by pairing each North East SME with a European counterpart we hope that businesses will be able to work together to further develop, strengthen and refine their ideas,” added Alan Welby.

The project is open to all SMEs based in the North East and businesses are invited to attend a launch event on Thursday 24 January at Newcastle’s Crowne Plaza where the challenge will be unveiled.

Successful applicants will be paired with a European partner in April 2019 to collaborate and work their idea into a deliverable solution.

Open Innovation 2.0 LAB is a two year Horizon 2020 project managed by partners from Greece, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and the UK.

Open Innovation 2.0 LAB is led in the North East by the North East LEP, RTC and Innovation SuperNetwork.

You can register for the launch event at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/open-innovation-20-launch-event-tickets-54535655614

Find out more about the Open Innovation 2.0 Lab at www.northeastgrowthhub.co.uk/invite/

 

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Multimillion-pound business support programme set to launch

North East businesses will benefit from the launch of a new multimillion-pound programme aimed at those who wish to diversify, broaden their customer base and unlock new market opportunities.

Supply Chain North East will see four key partners joining forces to work with over 800 businesses between 2018-2021 supporting businesses to identify opportunities in new and existing markets. An integral part of the North East Growth Hub, Supply Chain North East will be delivered across the region by RTC North, Generator, North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) and North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC).

Colin Bell, Business Growth Director at the North East LEP and leading the North East Growth Hub, said:

“Supply Chain North East has been created to enable more collaboration across multiple sectors. For example, often we see smaller businesses wanting to work within manufacturing or automotive but don’t know how to penetrate the market.

“Through this programme and the partners’ vast networks, we can give valuable advice delivered both at events and via one to one support to help them on that journey.

“A key benefit that businesses will gain is that they will build more diverse revenue streams, reducing reliance on a few customers and markets, which is particularly important with Brexit on the horizon.

“With new supply chain prospects in the North East, such as the £500 million Nexus Fleet Replacement Programme and opportunities further afield, this initiative has been designed to ensure our region’s businesses are well placed to grow their customer base, strengthen supply chain management and diversify their products and services.

“Supply Chain North East also focuses on helping businesses make the most of new technology to drive higher profits, productivity and innovation in new products and services.”

Alan Whittaker, Programme Manager of Supply Chain, added:

“We’re delighted to be delivering a programme that can make a real difference to local businesses in the North East by tapping into national and international opportunities.“All partners involved in delivering this programme offer businesses access to a vast amount of expertise and wealth of experience. It’s the strength of this partnership that will ensure Supply Chain North East helps businesses to thrive and succeed.”

If you are business that meets the following criteria;

Based in the North East LEP area (Sunderland, Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Northumberland) and are in the following sectors:

  • Advanced manufacturing
  • Subsea, offshore and energy technologies
  • Automotive and transport
  • Health and life sciences
  • Digital, tech and creative
  • Process, chemical and pharmaceutical

Then join us for the launch event on Thursday, 24th January at the Crowne Plaza, Newcastle. To register visit here >>

Visit www.supplychainnortheast.co.uk for more information or call 0191 516 4400.

If you have any further questions about this article, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

RTC services are designed to help clients innovate, compete and grow. Specialising in the commercialisation of new products and services, we work with individuals, businesses and the public sector to help create more innovative and vibrant economies.

Founded in 1989, the company has vast experience of helping organisations with all stages of the innovation and IP commercialisation process and uses this expertise to support partners at a UK regional, national and European level.

RTC is a lead UK partner in the worlds’ largest business support network – Enterprise Europe Network – and has established relationships with partners in Asia as well as North and South America.

ERDF

Supply Chain North East project is supported by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

About the North East LEP

The North East LEP is a public, private and education sector partnership that covers Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland local authority areas.

The £270.4m Local Growth Fund, secured as part of the North East Growth Deal, supports the North East LEP’s delivery of the Strategic Economic Plan, which aims to create 100,000 more and better jobs by 2024.

Local Growth Fund

Local Enterprise Partnerships are playing a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country, helping to build a country that works for everyone.

That’s why by 2021 Government will have invested over £12bn through the Local Growth Fund, allowing LEPs to use their local knowledge to get all areas of the country firing on all cylinders.

Analysis has shown that every £1 of Local Growth Fund invested could generate £4.81 in benefits.

Generator

Generator is the leading sector specialist development agency in the North of England.

The flexible and agile approach to supporting both businesses and creatives in the digital and music industries has kept it ahead of the curve when supplying business and talent development for over 25 years.

Starting out as an organisation seeking to navigate pathways for musicians, songwriters and bands to the national music industry and help strike meaningful careers in their chosen direction Generator has evolved into one of the only sector specialist business support agencies for the creative digital tech and music sectors in the UK.

NEAA

The North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) is an industry-led cluster group, established to support the economic sustainable growth and competitiveness of the sector in the North East of England.
Launched in March 2015, with over 330 cluster participants, the NEAA is the largest automotive cluster in the UK and one of the fastest growing clusters across Europe. The NEAA provides a single unified voice to key stakeholder groups and promotes the true value created by the North East Automotive sector.

NEPIC

NEPIC works with chemical-processing and supply chain companies to help them become successful and sustainable organisations in a business environment that enables them to grow. Through its established network, NEPIC provides business growth support to companies small and large via networking, events, mentoring, best practice, promotion and signposting.

 

 

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VentureFest North East 2018 line-up announced

Delegates at VentureFest North East will have the chance to hear from game-changing business leaders who have transformed their sectors through pioneering models and emerging technology.

Taking place on Wednesday 14th November, the region’s innovation conference has today (Thursday 13 September) announced its speaker line-up, which includes Dr Nick Appleyard from the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as Anne Doyle, Director of Operations at flight comparison site, Skyscanner, and Holly Tucker founder of online marketplace, Notonthehighstreet and Holly & Co.

Notonthehighstreet broke the mould when it launched in 2006, championing small artisanal enterprise and bringing their goods to a wider custom-base online. Holly will address delegates with the story of how the platform disrupted the online retail world, before winners of the inaugural North East Innovation Awards are announced.

Building on the events key themes of Healthy Ageing and Manufacturing, speakers also include Dr Hakim Yadi, CEO of the Northern Health Science Alliance, Ian Shott CEO at pharmaceutical research firm Arcinova and Ryan Maughan, Managing Director at leading automotive manufacturer, AVID.

Estelle Blanks, Executive Director at the Innovation SuperNetwork who plan and deliver VentureFest North East, said: “VentureFest is all about creating the space for businesses from all sectors and of all sizes to collaborate and learn from one another. Each year we seek to reflect a diverse range of business sectors in the speakers we attract, whilst providing inspirational keynotes who can share valuable experiences and learning.

“This year’s line-up is a good mix of dynamic individuals all with a fantastic story to tell. We hope they will help inspire our delegates to think differently and complement our hands-on programme aimed at providing the tools regional businesses need to embed innovation and maximise business growth.”

Register to attend VentureFest for free at www.venturefestnortheast.com.