Business Explorer: funding for academic and specialist support
The Business Explorer programme is an opportunity for business and academia to collaborate by providing support to eligible SMEs to fund a suitable academic professional or industry specialist to help explore new ideas or business challenges as well as develop solutions. The programme provides a pathway of funded support to explore, to plan and to implement an innovative solution into the business through collaboration and knowledge transfer.
The Business Explorer pathway of academic/industry specialist support is provided over two programmes:
- Explore – Investigate a problem or new idea = £5,000/€5,800 + VAT
- Plan - Take the findings and develop a plan to implement = £20,000/€23,200 + VAT
InterTradeIreland are currently inviting academic and industry specialists to submit an expression of interest form so they can take part in the programme, avail of funding and support SMEs across the island. We welcome expression of interest from engineering, manufacturing, IT and science sectors.
Provide businesses with 5 days of academic/specialist support:
- To explore current challenges or new idea within a business.
- To draft a plan to address the issues identified with recommendations to begin to implement change. Areas of specialist support can be e.g. energy efficiency requirements, carbon zero plans, digitisation plans, product development, process development, explore use of Industry 4.0 for business improvement and innovative productivity solutions.
Next Steps
The business can use draft plan/recommendations to apply for further support through Business Explorer - Plan or InterTradeIreland’s Innovation Boost programme whatever the recommendation advises.
Once you have read the Rules of Engagement, Eligibility Criteria and Code of Conduct, please continue with your expression of interest form.