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Supporting Productivity Innovation & Growth (SPRING)

Part funded by ERDF, SPRING supports SMEs in delivering higher value, intensive support for growth and productivity improvement measures

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Overview

Managed by The iNet and based at Loughborough University, SPRING will assist SMEs seeking to increase their capacity and capability by delivering intensive and higher value support for business growth and productivity improvement measures. The programme will operate from July 2019 through to June 2022.

Businesses must be based in Leicester & Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership area (LLEP) and engaged in the general area of one of LLEP’s priority sectors:

The support includes a mixture of:

  • An information, diagnostic and brokerage review
  • Part-funding (grant) to attend trade fairs through our ‘exhibitor package’
  • Up to 2 days 1:1 support – market/technology growth assessment
  • Part-funding (grant) towards external costs of investments in enhanced capabilities and new technologies including equipment required to take new products, processes and services from early development to production

SME support - Main Points to Note

Companies must undergo a comprehensive review with an iNet Advisor in order to establish eligibility and access support from this programme.  This review meeting will typically last between 2 – 3 hours and will help you develop your growth and competitiveness plans.

Following this review, support may include one or more of the following:

  • Part-funding towards attending a trade fair – ‘exhibitor package’ which can include the cost of the exhibition space, plus anything hired from the venue.
  • 2-day research assessment – to help you to identify, scope and access new markets and sector supply chains.
  • Part-funding towards external costs relating to company based productivity and capability enhancement projects – via simplified application process
Businesses in these sectors may also be eligible for support from some of our other projects:

Productivity and Capability Enhancement (PACE)

PACE supports SMEs in Leicester and Leicestershire and is for those companies looking to increase their capabilities, productivity and competitiveness and take calculated risks in implementing new products, processes and service improvements.

Read more

If you are interested in finding out more then please call 01509 635270 or email inet@lboro.ac.uk to speak to an advisor. Alternatively please click on our Contact page or the Twitter icon below