Innovation grants of up to £100,000 and expert support packages are available for Midlands-based aerospace SMEs, or companies seeking to enter sector, with an idea for a new technology, a solution to make flying greener, to enhance productivity or improve delivery.

Businesses that visit the Aerospace UP team at Farnborough Airshow can find out if they are eligible for a grant or expert support within 48 hours and have their application fast tracked. The team will be available at the show from 18-22 July on the Midlands Aerospace Alliance’s stand: 1320 in the UK Pavilion, Hall 1.

200 companies are already benefiting from the £20m three-year Aerospace UP programme which runs until summer 2023. It is being delivered by the University of Nottingham and the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, supported by the European Regional Development Fund. In addition to grants – typically valued at £1,000 to £10,000 per eligible company – expert support packages are also giving Midlands businesses a competitive advantage, covering sustainability, digitalisation, aerospace certification, market opportunities and more.

“Farnborough Airshow is set to be the biggest and best yet for the Midlands aerospace cluster, which is one of the largest in the world,” said Andrew Mair, chief executive of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance. “As innovative companies from right across the region showcase the latest technologies, services and capabilities, it’s a fantastic opportunity for businesses to create a flightpath for new ideas with support from Aerospace UP.”

Professor Patrick Wheeler, head of Power Electronics, Machines and Control Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham added: “It is with great pleasure that we are able to support industry through the Aerospace UP programme, where we are leading the way in translating our pioneering research on ‘net zero’ aviation into real world applications by supporting the aerospace supply chain to create innovation capacity. We are able to provide access to the knowledge, skills and facilities available through our Institute for Aerospace Technology as part of this excellent initiative in partnership with the Midlands Aerospace Alliance. I therefore urge eligible organisations to get in touch with our outstanding team during the week to take advantage of this opportunity.”

There is no need for companies to bring anything specific to the show to apply for one of the innovation grants but it would be useful to come with ideas or details of challenges they are eager to solve. The Aerospace UP team is looking forward to talking to companies about how the programme can help them innovate to get ahead in the global aerospace market.

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