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Scroll down for all our August news
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) has recently announced new funding for SMEs to access academic expertise from the region’s Universities
75 Innovation Vouchers are now available and each one provides an organisation with £3,000 worth of one-to-one consultancy. SMEs, social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations in the East of England can apply. Eligible applications must aim to demonstrate at least one of the following: increase profitability/efficiency savings, enable better informed business decisions/improved processes or service, increase market share, a fresh source of ideas and/or job creation.
The University of Bedfordshire has a successful track record of supporting companies through this scheme. We have a wide range of expertise and are committed to helping SMEs in the region develop and grow through enhancing innovative techniques and processes.
Applications are made directly to EEDA.
For more information and details of how to apply, click here.
For information about University of Bedfordshire research expertise click here.
For an informal discussion email consultancy@beds.ac.uk
The University is hosting two open days this year to highlight the variety of flexible training and part time courses, including undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses on offer and you are warmly invited to attend!
If you are an individual looking to gain new skills and progress in your career, or if you are a business that is looking to up-skill its staff, then we could have just the course for you. We have training in a number of areas, such as project management, languages, sciences, business management plus many more. You can find out about one day workshops, intensive courses, distance learning courses, weekend study days, bespoke training and part time studies.
The open events are free to attend and individuals and organisations are invited. There will be one at Polhill campus, Bedford on 7 September, 4 to 8 pm (click here for map); and one at Park Square campus, Luton 9 September, 4 to 8 pm (click here for map)
You will be able to talk to course leaders and find out how the different courses could benefit you or your staff. For more details and to book onto the event, click here.
Do you want to master the perfect pitch for investors? Do you want to convince someone to invest in your business?
Prepare for tricky questions and get your pitch perfect by attending the latest Venture Academy Series event – ‘Investment Readiness’.
Taking place on Thursday 7 October at Butterfield Enterprise Hub, this event will highlight what investors are looking for, how to impress them and will give business leaders the opportunity to prepare effective and confident presentations that can be used for pitching to potential investors.
The event will also reveal how to avoid being caught out by the difficult questions that investors ask, by preparing for the awkward questions in advance and working out the answers for your business, all delivered in a ‘safe’ environment - where a limited number of business leaders are together, going through the same exercise for their own business. By attending, business leaders will be much better prepared to face potential investors, to understand what they are looking for and to provide the right information in the right format.
At the end of the day a selected number of business leaders will picked to attend the next Venture Academy Series event – ‘Meet the Investors’, being held in November, where they will meet potential investors and given a unique opportunity and invited to pitch for investment.
For more information about the event and how to register to attend, click here.
The University has had an invitation to a very important event on 25th August which will see local businesses, local authorities, and key local figures discussing the proposal for a new South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership. The government has recently announced its commitment to reforming sub-national economic development partnerships and has asked local business leaders and local authorities to submit proposals to form Local Enterprise Partnerships by 6th September.
Partnerships formed within this region over the past few years have lead to an impressive economic growth and this new Government agenda presents our region with a fresh set of opportunities and challenges. We are passing this invitation on to our business contacts and encourage you to attend to give your contribution so you can help shape this proposal and lend your support. The partnership also wants to find the best ways of working with businesses as it moves forward, so this really is a great chance for you to have a real impact in the partnership.
The partnership will work together to carry out strategic activities that will have the biggest positive impact on businesses and the economy in the following areas:
The partnership will be crucial to strengthening the links between businesses and higher education institutions to further innovation and competitiveness in areas such as precision engineering, logistics and business services.
The event will be held at the Cranfield Management Centre on 25th August at 4.00 pm for a prompt start at 4.30pm closing at 6.30pm. For more information visit www.mksm.org.uk
If you would like to attend please email Gayle Pope Gpope@northamptonshire.gov.uk or call 01604 236697 as soon as possible.
Do you have any expert advice that other local businesses could benefit from? Any pearls of wisdom you would like to share? If so then we are looking for experts to contribute to the ‘Views’ page on our website. If you have anything you would like to contribute please email knowledge@beds.ac.uk
Click here to read our Views.
