University of Birmingham extends low carbon innovation support for SMEs

A programme that supports SMEs within Greater Birmingham and Solihull to adopt low carbon energy technologies and applications is to be rolled out across the region after securing funding.  The ATETA (Accelerating Thermal Energy Adoption) programme is led by the Birmingham Energy Institute at the University of Birmingham and funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Since its launch in 2017, it has offered advice and support to more than 100 businesses within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.

The programme has now secured fresh funding from the ERDF to extend support across a further four Local Enterprise Partnerships:  the Black Country; Coventry and Warwickshire; Worcestershire and the Marches. Through ATETA support, businesses have the opportunity to collaborate with an experienced team of Knowledge Exchange Fellows to improve their research and development and identify new market opportunities.  

In particular, Knowledge Exchange Fellows work with SMEs to:

Develop and commercialise energy products or services

Provide a platform to test and demonstrate innovative ideas in the University’s state-of-the-art laboratories

Open doors to new energy markets and technologies

Solve business problems

Provide access to energy market intelligence

Unlock new opportunities

To date, the programme has succeeded in generating a net income of almost £25 million for the local economy.

(Content and Image Courtesy: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/latest/2020/03/university-of-birmingham-extends-low-carbon-innovation-support-for-smes.aspx)