smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Short-term finance

Rory Earley, CEO of Capital for Enterprise, explores the options...
Have your say »

RSS

Grants for technology businesses

Mar 14 2003

There are millions of pounds in funding available for technology and communications companies in the UK from funding providers such as the Government and the European Union.

UPDATE:
April 2011 - Getting a technology grant.

Government grants

There are a number of specific initiatives such as the SMART (Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology) Awards, which are grants from the DTI to help individuals and small businesses in the UK to develop innovative new products and processes. You will have to compete for the grant along with other applicants.

“The SMART award is available for technology companies but they do have to have real innovation that moves thinking forward on a particular subject,” says Nigel Lander, an adviser for Business Link.

SMART awards are given for different types of projects such as the pre-production prototype stage of a new product or process, and project costs are awarded up to a maximum of £450,000.

The R&D tax credit, introduced in 2000, is to help small- and medium-sized companies undertake research and development (R&D), either for the first time or to encourage them to do even more. It is not available to individuals or partnerships.

Comments

There are currently no comments on this article

Barclays Business Start Up Account

Get everything you'd expect from a Barclays Business account…Free business banking for up to 2 years (Ts&Cs apply). Free day-to-day support from our Barclays Business Team by phone 24/7 and Mobile Banking, manage your account quickly and easily from a web-enabled phone. Apply online.

Mentoring – Now there’s a bright idea for business

Whether you're starting up, taking your business to the next level or just need a sounding board, Lloyds TSB understands that a business mentor can offer you the support and guidance you need to develop your business. Find out more today.

Flexible funding for new start businesses

Invoice finance can assist new start companies through to established businesses in raising the finance needed to grow. Award winning Touch Financial work with over 20 of the UK’s leading lenders to find the most suitable funding solution for your business.

Polls

Latest Guides and Tips

Former armed forces personnel may be able to get a grant from the Royal British Legion

Royal British Legion grant

Former soldier Chris Lait of The Drake Academy, which offers corporate training, development and reward programmes, benefited from a business grant from the Royal British Legion.

Help with raising business finance

SmallBusiness.co.uk has released an iPad and smartphone application guide offering advice on finding and applying for government grants.

Grants in Scotland

Louise Guinda, founder of baby product company Safedreams.co.uk, received help from Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise.

The green grant

Neil McManus, owner of telecoms provider GHM Communications, won a grant of £1,000 from Sustainable Routes, an environmentally-friendly project that assists businesses in reducing the cost of business travel.

Avenues for startup grants

Recruitment consultant MBA & Company won £1,000 throught the Shell Livewire Award, and jewellery retailer Mama Jewels benefitted from a startup grant from a local council. SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to each to find out how the government grants were achieved.

How your business can get a grant in 2011

Government grants can be hard to come by - but they do exist and they can benefit your business if you know where to look. SmallBusiness.co.uk provides an essential guide to sourcing and applying for a government grant.

Getting a technology grant

Speech recognition technology provider Voxgen was awarded £214,000 this month by the Technology Strategy Board.

Grants: your questions answered

Getting your hands on free funding can be a tricky business. Here we answer your most frequently asked questions about accessing grants

Small business grants and loans

If getting funding though your bank is starting to feel like banging your head against a brick wall, don’t despair. Here we look at some less painful ways to secure finance.

Checklist for going self-employed

Before making the leap into self-employment, be sure you aren’t caught out by red tape or miss out on grants and loans. Here the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) offer a checklist for starting out

Grants for small businesses

Finding government grants for start ups can be like tracking down the golden fleece. But government finance for small businesses is available if you know where to look.

News

Revenue falls represent more choppy waters for small businesses to navigate

SME revenue fall a ‘blip’

Small business domestic turnover decreased by 7 per cent between Q4 2011 and Q1 2012, research finds.

SMEs could be in line for tax rebate

Hundreds of thousands of UK small business owners are due a sizeable tax rebate from HMRC, according to a tax specialist.

Wonga will be offering its services to companies rather than individuals

Wonga enters business loan market

Short-term loan provider Wonga is set to launch a business loan service, which wlll reportedly make funds available within 15 minutes of an application.

Don't Miss

Making sound investments in volatile times

After the recent global economic problems, it’s never been more important to choose your offshore investments carefully.

Tax dilemmas

Every small business should make their business tax as efficient as possible, this guide will help ensure you’re not paying HMRC too much.

Emergency Budget Breakdown

It's generally agreed that SMEs emerged largely unscathed from the Emergency Budget. Here SmallBusiness.co.uk picks out the main points for owner-managers.

Store

FT Guide to Personal Tax

The FT Guide to Personal Tax is published by Pearson Education. Written by Sara Williams, CEO of Vitesse Media Plc and John Bloxham, this unique guide gives step-by-step advice to completing your tax return as well as over 230 tax-saving tips.

Growth Company Investor

Growth Company Investor is widely recognised as the leading magazine for investors interested in AIM and smallcap companies. Published 10 times per year, and brought to you by an award-winning analyst team, it offers subscribers unrivalled insight into high-potential smaller companies. Subscribe today with a 50% discount in your first year.

FT Guide to Business Start Up

The FT Guide to Business Start Up 2012, published by Pearson Education, is written by Sara Williams, CEO of Vitesse Media Plc. This unique guide has sold over two million copies. It offers practical advice about starting and running your own business.