Transport iNet | The iNet

Now closed, the Transport iNet was a part funded ERDF project that ran from 2009 to 2016 supporting SMEs across the East Midlands

The Transport iNet ran for over 7 years offering grant funding and business support to small and medium sized transport equipment businesses across the East Midlands.

The Transport iNet provided innovation, advice, guidance and networking opportunities to transport businesses in the East Midlands. It worked across automotive, motorsport, aerospace, rail and marine sectors and helped over 500 companies and seven universities in the East Midlands realise potential for growth and further profitability through knowledge sharing and financial assistance.

The team of specialist innovation advisers provided free, face to face consultancy support and advice to small and medium sized businesses wanting to embark on an innovation project. Addressing common technology challenges across sectors, as well as sector specific issues, projects included improving performance of materials, components or systems by developing lightweight alloys and carbon fibre composites in transport manufacture; or exploiting data from space to connect consumers and all transport modes for personal journey planning and traffic management.

Other projects supported advanced manufacturing processes through increasing productivity or undertaking research and development into the environmental impact of transportation, including focusing on low carbon technologies. Another major role played by the iNet was assisting businesses in demonstrating proof of concept and finding the most effective route to market for the commercialisation of a novel idea which can be implemented across several of the transport sectors and help to cultivate a vibrant transport sector supply base.

Relevant case studies