Are you looking for specialist support?
If you are looking to set up a hi-tech business particularly in the digital, process or advanced engineering sectors you may benefit from talking to specialist organisations who can also put you in touch with other businesses and ancillary services in their cluster.
Centre for Process Innovation
CPI is an independent technology innovation centre which translates ideas and research into successfully commercialised products and processes.
It provides open access facilities and expertise to help companies develop, prove, prototype, and scale up their innovations.
Further information available here.
Department for Business & Trade (DBT)
DBT provide advice, guidance and in some cases financial support, to firms looking to export for the first time, or to existing exporters move into new overseas markets.
Further information available here.
Enterprise Made Simple
Enterprise Made Simple provides 1-1 support and training to local people who are wanting to start a business and help existing businesses to grow and expand through training courses, business events and one-off projects. These services can be fully funded for local businesses and individuals.
For more information, click here.
Materials Processing Institute
A research and Innovation Centre serving organisations which work with materials, materials processing or energy. MPI can help business by providing:
- Access to Financial and Investment Support
- In-depth support and training for start-ups and existing businesses
Further information available here.
North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA)
An industry-led cluster group, established to support the economic sustainable growth and competitiveness of the sector in the North East of England
Further information available here.
North East Process Industries Cluster (NEPIC)
Working to grow the chemical-processing sector and associated supply chain in the North East of England.
Further information available here.
Northern Offshore Energy (NOF)
NOF Energy – business development organisation working on behalf of 500 companies within the oil, gas, nuclear and offshore renewable sectors.
Further information available here.
Teesside University
Located at its Darlington Campus, The Forge is Teesside University’s specialist business hub.
The courses are designed for employers seeking to develop their staff and update their sector-specific knowledge and skills. They are all delivered by expert practitioners, and informed by industry-led research.
Teesside University is also part of the Innovate Tees Valley scheme listed above.
Further information available here.
Tees Valley Labs
Built by founders, for founders, and delivered by seasoned sector experts & professionals, Tees Valley Labs is designed to fast-track the success of Tees Valley-based entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups through structured, founder-centric support.
Tees Valley Labs is made up of three parts: Pre-Flight, a series of two-day workshops repeated
across all five local authorities. The Stable, an incubator for start-ups, and The Forge, an accelerator for scaling businesses.
For pre-start and early stage businesses, the two programmes available for you to apply to are:
Pre-flight – A two-day workshop, offered on several dates across the Tees Valley with the same content and goal: to prepare your business idea for an incubator programme. For more information and to apply, click here.
Stable – The Stable programme is a 6-month incubator focused on taking businesses from early ideation and discovery through to market traction and funding.
As part of this programme, entrepreneurs will gain access to a comprehensive support programme delivered by industry experts. Successful applicants will be able to draw down monthly grant funding of £2,200 over the course of the programme, with the opportunity to apply for a further £4,800 in additional grant funding.
For more information and to apply for the Stable programme, click here.
The Welding Institute
The TWI technology and Training Centre for the north east is located in Middlesbrough and is a world leader in underwater inspection, plastics joining, weld inspection and non-destructive testing applications.
Further information available here.
