Enterprise
In 2022, Anglia Innovation Partnership launched an enterprise strategy for the park, to help support the creation and development of new businesses from innovative ideas discovered in research activity at the partner institutes and university. The strategy has two main aims and the first is to encourage entrepreneurs and people studying or working at the Park who have a potential business idea, to come forward for support. The other is to highlight to investors, be they venture capital companies or high net worth individuals, the potential the Park offers spin-outs, spin-ins and start-ups for a healthy return on investment.
- Pre-Seed: entrepreneur identification and development – Assessment of all ideas, selection process and then three-months support to market test ideas QUBIS managed, ICURe ‘Lean Launch’ programme funded by BBSRC
- Pre-Seed: preparing for spin-out and investment – Pre-seed Enterprise Fund supporting grants of up to £30k John Innes Foundation (JIF), BBSRC – CIAA (Campus Innovation Acceleration Account)
- Seed Fund: new company investment – SEIS/EIS seed fund raise – £1m raised for investment in Norwich, Manchester and Belfast Innovate UK grants up to £300k matched with SEIS/EIS Innovation Fund
- Growth Fund ambition: investment in company growth – Ambition to develop a growth fund for company growth and inward location. To be invested alongside external venture funders from £250k to £3m
Opportunities to access funding
The NRP Explorer Fund brings together the research and business community to identify new innovations that have potential to address business problems and ultimately, it is hoped, global grand challenges. Facilitated half or full day ‘focus groups’ will help ‘explore’ and crystalise early-stage opportunities and build connections that spark new collaborations, forge new relationships, and create new business ideas. Outputs from these sessions help signpost to upcoming training and funding opportunities from our local NRP, regional and national partners.
Anyone based on the Norwich Research Park, or external organisations with an interest in engaging with the research community can contact Kirsty Culley for an initial conversation kirsty.culley@norwichresearchpark.com
The NRP Pre-Seed Enterprise Fund is part of a wider Anglia Innovation Partnership Enterprise Strategy that aims to accelerate the translation of research outputs through the formation and development of new enterprises (spinouts), and/or encourage innovation through collaboration with business and third sector organisations for societal impact.
Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP (AIP LLP), the organisation responsible for the commercial growth of the Norwich Research Park (NRP) has secured funds from the sponsors UK Research and Innovation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UKRI-BBSRC) and the John Innes Foundation. The Pre-Seed Enterprise Fund is managed by AIP LLP and works with other partners and funders where relevant.
The main aims are to:
- Stimulate innovation by creating collaborative opportunities to develop projects in market led design, proof-of-concept, translation and innovation
- Create opportunities for businesses to access the academic research and innovation capability both within the NRP and with other UK Research and Innovation campuses across the UK
Contact Details
This fund has several calls per year. For further information please contact enterprise@norwichresearchpark.com.
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