Funding for SMEs
In order to stimulate academic and industrial engagement, financial support of up to £5,000 per project is available for small projects between the University and Scottish SMEs (Small to Medium-sized Enterprises) in the form of a First Step Award. The Encompass team within the University manages First Step Awards and other funding for SMEs and is the first point of contact for a company seeking to work with us.
Encompass is a collaboration between the Universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde, Aberdeen and Stirling and aims to stimulate innovation within Scottish SMEs.
The Encompass team can work closely with your business, offering one-to-one advice and support for business growth. This could result in an application for a funding award to allow your business to access research time from one of our academic specialists.
The breadth of experience within the Encompass team and the academic communities of the partner universities enable us to identify potential funding opportunities to allow collaborative relationships over the longer term.
Encompass also hosts a series of events for businesses. For further information and to sign up for the newsletter, visit the Encompass website.
Eligibility
Applications for a First Step Award can be made by either the company or the academic and we would strongly encourage academics who are currently working with Scottish SMEs to contact us to discuss possible projects. The funding will be used to buy out academic time spent on the project.
Priority will be given to projects that assess both the potential and feasibility of a new product, process or market and can lead to opportunities to attract follow-on funding from existing sources, demonstrate a clear route to market or indicate a step change in current processes. SME participants will be expected to make a contribution to the project, which can be in kind.
Contact us
Jennifer Carson, Encompass Project Administrator
Research Strategy and Innovation Office
11 The Square, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ
tel: +44 (0)141 330 3876
email: jennifer.carson@glasgow.ac.uk