UCLan’s Innovation Voucher Scheme

Coverage: Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Pennine Lancashire, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, Wyre,

Finance Type: New Product Development, Research and Development, Technology,

Summary

UCLan has introduced an Innovation Voucher Scheme following the closure of the successful NWDA programme to ensure businesses access the knowledge base of the university and to enable greater continued knowledge transfer engagement with the local SME business community.  The scheme is not sector specific; however, priority will be given to proposals that have a likelihood of leading to further costed work or bids that may lead to further knowledge transfer activity, such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) etc.

Funding:

UCLan will fund approximately 30 vouchers, each to the value of £5,000.  The type of activity the voucher could support includes:

• Company/business strategic review
• Development of ‘proof of concept’ proposal
• Placement student to work on a particular business problem
• Skills/Training audit of existing staff
• Environmental audit of the business
• 5-10 days worth of academic consultancy around a particular work place issue
• Product testing and analysis
• Any other academic related service up to the value of £5,000

Process:

The UCLan innovation voucher scheme will broadly follow the same pattern as the NWDA administered scheme, with application, and assessment of likely bids being quick and simple, allowing the successful businesses to quickly access expertise from the university’s knowledge base.  The UCLan innovation vouchers scheme will be marketed internally within the university not directly to businesses.  Academics will be responsible for identifying suitable businesses to benefit from the scheme.  These may include previous recipients of the NWDA innovation voucher scheme, businesses already engaged with the university or business the university seeks to establish a relationship with.The application process requires the lead academic to complete a short proposal (max 150 words using the attached form) outlining the work with an endorsement by a senior representative of the business (letter or email) and sign off by their Head of School.

The proposal should address the following points:

• What the project involves
• Project outcomes
• How long the work will take (all work should be completed by the end of June 2011)
• How the proposal represents value for money
• The likelihood of this project leading to further work

Proposals will be assessed by a panel of senior UCLan staff on a weekly basis (each Friday), starting 25 February 2011, enabling a quick decision (either positive or negative) and leading to either the early start of the project, or, signposting to other services from UCLan that may be better suited to the business.

Upon satisfactory sign off of the work by the client, and a short evaluation report from the lead academic, the participating schools will reimbursed for the value of the voucher- up to £5,000.

Funding: Upto £5,000

Type of Funding: Grant

Project Timeframe - Expiry Date: Sunday 31st March 2013

Eligibility: Details Provided on Enquiry

Disclaimer: The information above was accurate at the time of publishing. This is a constantly evolving directory and we will amend the details as and when required. Regenerate Pennine Lancashire is not responsible for the accuracy of external information

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