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Advice and Support

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Visit Business Link Northwest to access independent advice and guidance on the best support for your business.

Alternatively call
0845 0066 888
to speak to an advisor

Am I Eligible?

The Innovation Voucher scheme is open to anyone running a Small Medium Enterprise in the Northwest - covering Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.

It is aimed at people already running one of the following ventures:

  • Small or Medium business
  • Social enterprise
  • Not-for-profit organisation

If your company is in the Creative & Digital Industries, Food & Drink or Business & Professional Service sectors, your application will be given a higher priority. We are targeting these 3 sectors as they have been shown to be sectors which are less likely to collaborate with the knowledge base.

Each voucher is intended to stimulate a 'new collaboration with the knowledge base' and therefore the business must not have worked with a specific department of the Knowledge Provider before.

The following business activities are ineligible under European Funding Rules:

  • Production of synthetic fibres, textiles & clothing, motor vehicles, shipbuilding, coal & steel, agriculture and Annex 1 food processing, banks & insurance companies, schools, and the provision of social welfare facilities.

Charities are not eligible to apply.

Please contact the Innovation Voucher Team on 01925 400466 for further guidance if you are unsure that you are eligible.

The scheme is open to everyone, and we particularly welcome applications from women, minority groups and businesses in deprived areas

The Innovation Voucher Scheme operates under 'De Minimis' State Aid rules. This means that a private company cannot receive over €500,000 worth of public sector support granted under 'De Minimis' from whatever source in any three year rolling period. Please contact innovationvouchers@nwda.co.uk for further information.