Regional tech accelerators across the UK are set to benefit from the Digital Growth Grant awarded to Barclays Eagle Labs.
The seven programmes supporting digital businesses are Sunderland Software City, SETsquared Partnership, Tramshed Tech, Conception X, Functional Skills UK, Sheffield Hallam University and University of Edinburgh.
Each organisation has received up to 拢250,000 from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology grant to match their investments in new and existing programmes that help local tech businesses.
鈥淏ritain鈥檚 innovative tech startups span the nation and drive global innovation forward. We are delighted to boost these programmes to provide on-the-ground support for founders in their local areas, giving them the help they need to thrive,鈥� said Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy Paul Scully.
鈥淒irectly supporting businesses in this way is the cornerstone of our Digital Growth Grant, which champions a future where every corner of the UK benefits from the job creation and growth technology provides.鈥�
The programmes provide a variety of support including access to digital services, entrepreneurship training, and access to networking and fundraising opportunities.
Each programme has a specialist focus dependent on local specialisms. For example a 12-week GreenTech accelerator in Wales, run by Tramshed Tech, will help climate tech businesses by providing training, expert advice and network support, with access to funding.聽聽
Sheffield Hallam University will run its third year of a startup support scheme for high-potential health and wellbeing tech businesses, building on the region鈥檚 fast-evolving digital HealthTech cluster.
And an expansion of a University of Edinburgh venture builder programme will give researchers access to a cut of 拢100,000, access to AI research facilities and a 鈥楴ational Robotarium鈥� to convert their inventions into innovations and businesses across robotics and more.
Season 2 of the Ecosystem Partnership Programme is open for applications, where organisations can apply for matched funding for activity being delivered between 1st April 2024 and 31st March 2025.
Matt Corbidge, director, Barclays Eagle Labs said: 鈥淲e are proud to be able to support these projects which are designed to help early-stage tech entrepreneurs across the UK.聽 It鈥檚 vitally important that startups and scaleups are supported particularly in growing sectors in AI, climate-tech and the digital space.聽聽
鈥淯sing our Ecosystem Partnership Programme, we鈥檙e allocating funding to organisations that are already plugged into their national and regional ecosystems.聽 We hope these projects will go a long way to supporting start-ups and scale-ups, which are vital to growing local economies throughout the UK.鈥�