The University of South Wales (USW) offering tech support to local SME’s.
The Centre of Excellence in Mobile and Emerging Technologies (CEMET) project was launched in March 2017 and has been led by the University of South Wales (USW) to help small businesses across Wales develop cutting-edge technologies and boost productivity. Recieving over £8.9m of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Welsh Government, and Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO), the project supports SME’s to design and test new mobile and emerging technologies to create products and services for commercial success. Based at the University of South Wales, within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science, the project has seen a number of businesses develop products through road-mapping and knowledge transfer. These have included companies that have developed iPad software to detect sight problems in young children, a virtual system that improves safety for both children and workers on railways, and the development of augmented reality CPR training.
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) research supports those living locally with dementia and influences national policy.
The Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) is a research institute dedicated to advancing the understanding of music therapy and its ability to affect positive change on health and wellbeing in both policy and practice. Based in Anglia Ruskin University’s state of the art music therapy centre, CIMTR launched a partnership, Together in Sound, providing group music therapy to dementia sufferers. Led by researchers and music therapists within the institute, and the Saffron Hall Trust, the initiative focuses on the impact that music therapy has on health and wellbeing, prioritising research into managing the symptoms of dementia. It was created for people living with dementia and their care companions, to attend interactive music therapy groups. The sessions centre on music-making and listening in order to aid in communication, relationships and increasing quality of life through group work. The sessions provide vital services for those living with dementia, and the collaboration with CIMTR means that research into the area remains ongoing, alongside other non-pharmacological approaches. CIMTR also contributes to national policy making, adding music therapy to the NICE guidelines for dementia.
The University of Brighton’s Green Growth Platform
The Green Growth Platform is an award-winning green business-innovation network which supports businesses developing clean and green products, services and processes to scale-up. The platform provides access to university facilities and expertise, commercialisation advice, coaching and workshops and an investment readiness programme. It has over 1000 members that has created 300 green economy jobs and 70 new products and services. The Platform is the South East Regional Hub of Clean Growth UK, a national business & innovation network, that have collectively supported thousands of businesses across the UK to innovate and grow.
Birmingham City University STEAMhouse embedding the arts with STEM subjects to support businesses and economic growth.
STEAMhouse is Birmingham City University’s innovation centre aimed at encouraging co-working, collaboration and knowledge exchange between the arts, science, technology, engineering and maths (STEAM) sectors as a platform for supporting long-term sustainable economic growth, productivity and job creation. Created in collaboration with local arts organisation Eastside Projects, and supported by the ERDF and Arts Council England, STEAMhouse comprises 15,000 sq ft of space for new state-of-the-art facilities which people can access for free, dedicated to coworking, experimentation and production; with its comprehensive package of business support having already helped a range of innovators take their products to market. In December 2019 more than £3 million was invested to create a new virtual reality and cutting edge technology hub at the University’s STEAMhouse facility. It is anticipated STEAMhouse will help create up to 10,000 jobs across the West Midlands region and help support the growth of the Midlands Engine.
