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Our mission is to continually encourage businesses to invest in innovation.

We want to help businesses, either individually or in collaboration with research institutes, find new ways to create an even more efficient, creative and sustainable future. The Business Innovation Fund helps businesses bring new products, processes and/or services to market.

Support available

The Business Innovation Fund supports businesses from a wide range of sectors to help develop their innovative ideas. Our support includes:

  • Grants to help progress research and development (R&D) activity.
  • Tailored support to help beneficiary companies develop their R&D ambitions.
  • Connection with our region’s leading research organisations.

Eligibility criteria

Businesses are eligible if they are:

  • Based in the West of England – Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire
  • Able to provide match funding towards the cost of the project
  • A small or medium sized enterprise (SME) with a staff headcount lower than 250

How to apply

The Business Innovation Fund is currently closed to applications. Further information will be uploaded here when future applications windows open.

If you have further queries, including on accessibility, please email the team at bif@westofengland-ca.gov.uk.

We can help fund research and development proposals that will lead to the creation of new products, processes and/or services. To find out more please contact the West of England Growth Hub, our dedicated business support service.

Visit Growth Hub

Case Studies

Count
Innovation
Business Innovation Fund: Fellten’s augmented reality app
Business Support
Kelp Industries Ltd t/a Kelpi – Business Innovation Fund
Business Support
Biological EDB Commercialisation – BIRAL – Business Innovation Fund
Business Support
Measuring the energy quality of a home with AI – Propflo – Business Innovation Fund

Funding

The Business Innovation Fund is supported with £1,451,825 of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is part of the European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union, the ERDF helps local areas stimulate economic development by investing in project which will support innovation, business, create jobs and deliver local community regeneration.

European Regional Development Fund logo