Small and medium-sized firms in Kirklees have been urged to enter the second round of a multi-million-pound innovation competition.
New product development contractor Pera Technology is searching for engineering and manufacturing SMES in Yorkshire seeking finance to develop new product and process ideas.
The chosen businesses will receive a fully-funded application to the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 science and innovation fund. The closing date for entries is Friday, November 21.
The fund, launched earlier this year, provides grants of £40,000 to £2m to turn new product ideas into commercial prototypes.
To enter the competition, businesses simply need to provide details of their new product idea on Pera Technology’s Horizon 2020 competition website www.peratechnology.com/h2020comp . Entrants will also be provided with a Non-Disclosure Agreement in order to protect their intellectual property.
Susan Roberts, Pera Technology’s manager for Yorkshire, said: “We’ve witnessed a fantastic response following the first round of the competition and it’s great to see that Yorkshire and Humber is home to so many innovative businesses.
“I would urge SMEs to enter the competition before the November deadline and give themselves a great chance turning a bright idea into a commercial reality.”
Submissions will be assessed on a range of criteria including feasibility, commercial potential and originality. For businesses that aren’t successful Pera Technology will provide detailed feedback on how best to take their new innovation to the next stage.
