£1.5M fund to back 32 East Midlands innovation projects
What's the deal? The East Midlands Combined County AuthorityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has launched a £1.5 million Innovation Accelerator Fund to support 32 businesses working on clean technology, advanced manufacturing, and low-carbon innovation. East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward unveiled the second year of the programme through the East Midlands Investment Zone.
How it works: The fund pairs businesses with researchers from the University of NottinghamDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, University of DerbyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Nottingham Trent UniversityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to develop technologies with commercial potential.
What's the endgame? Projects span clean energy, zero-emission propulsion, artificial intelligence, robotics, sustainable manufacturing, and nuclear technology. One will see the University of Nottingham work with Intelligent Energy, Luxfer Gas CylindersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and GeoPura to test hydrogen fuel-cell and storage technologies for potential aerospace applications.
Why now? The latest round follows a 2024/25 pilot that backed 15 university-business collaborations. The fund sits within the East Midlands Investment Zone, a 10-year programme backed by £160 million of government funding.
Ward said the region "has all the ingredients to be a global leader in innovation," adding that the investment will "create skilled jobs, attract further investment, and build the industries that will shape the future of our economy for generations to come."
The signal: The programme reflects a growing push to convert regional university research into commercial ventures, with public money underwriting early-stage collaboration in emerging technology markets.
Read more: eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
