Digital Innovation Fund
Are you a business in the West of England looking to innovate?
Digital Innovation Fund helps support SMEs in the West of England – covering Bristol, Bath and North-East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire - that are seeking to innovate to solve new challenges and create new employment opportunities.
Fully-funded training workshops have now launched with the latest Digital Transformation workshop being hosted at UWE Bristol very soon. Check if you're eligible to benefit from this support and the you can register your interest in joining these free training workshops here. Or you can email us on dif@uwe.ac.uk.
DIF also supports 47 SMEs under this programme, through grants of £10,000-£40,000, enabling the development of innovative digital products, processes and services. Through this grant programme we are unlocking private sector investment and enabling job creation in the West of England.
We will soon be celebrating the success stories about the projects under way within our grant-funded businesses and details will be shared soon.
DIF is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and will receive up to £1,900,000 of funding as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is the programme’s Managing Authority.
Established by the European Union, the ERDF helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects that support innovation, businesses, job creation and local community regeneration.
Am I eligible?
If your business has a presence in the West of England - defined as Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire - and you undertake research and development (R&D) activity you are likely to be eligible.
DIF is available for small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and uses the European Commissions SME definition which takes into account staff numbers, turnover and relationships with other enterprises.