Grants And Funding
Supporting you in transitioning vision into reality
Financing your ideas
When starting up or scaling your business, finding sources of external funding can be an integral part of your journey. Our team is experienced in areas of financing and grant funding. Please reach out to us if this is something you are looking for support with.
There are several factors to consider in the process of identifying funding – and we can work with you to address all, or some, of these areas.
Purpose of funding
Consider any funding in the context of how it is going to contribute to your business’s growth. What’s your strategy and business plan and how is this funding going to get you there.
Decide on type of funding
Review options of financing and decide what is the best fit for you and your business:
Debt financing: Loans that need to be repaid with interest (e.g. bank loans)
Equity financing: Investors provide capital in exchange for ownership or shares (e.g. angel or venture capital investment)
Grant funding: non-repayable funds, often from government or public sector which will have an eligibility criteria and application process. (e.g. Innovate UK grants, UKRI, Local Council, Research Grants and more).
Create a compelling pitch or application
Have your elevator pitch ready! Be ready to talk about your business, anytime, anyplace. You never know when the opportunity to gain investment could come so have a strong engaging pitch ready.
For grant applications, keep on top of funding pots and take care to consider their deadlines. Application turn around times can often be quick so seek support from projects and organisations who can help (such as the Innovation Grant Mentoring Programme, or our Innovation Team).
Build your network
Connect with investors and lenders to build relationships and scope out market interest in your offer. Referrals can strengthen your credibility, so connect with business support organisations or investor networks who have strong relationships with other funding sources
For support in any of these areas, please reach out to us to book a no-obligation meeting.
Funding bodies and Investor networks of interest:
Innovate UK and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
Innovate UK is part of UKRI and provides funding, expertise and connections to businesses of a variety of sectors and sizes. Grants, loans, collaborative programs are all on offer to support businesses to innovate cutting-edge solutions to address our productivity and sustainability challenges.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)
A UK government funded initiative managed by Innovate UK, designed to foster collaboration between businesses and academic institutions to drive innovation, improve competitiveness, and address specific business challenges Businesses gain access to academic expertise, resources and research on projects, covering up to 67% of SME project costs, and 50% for larger businesses. Business will need to match fund and contribute to these projects financially.
New Anglia Growth Hub Small Grants Scheme
New Anglia Growth Hub is part of Norfolk County Council. Small Grant Scheme (SGS) is to encourage businesses to invest in equipment and premises to enable them to be more productive and grow. The grant can fund up to 25% of supported project costs. The minimum grant available is £2,500, and the maximum is £25,000. (The minimum project is therefore £10,000). The scheme is aimed at enabling established SMEs to grow and is not aimed at start-up enterprises. Applicants will need to provide a minimum of two years’ full accounts. The deadline for the grant is 30 June 2025.
New Anglia Growth Hub Business Transition to New Zero Grant
The scheme will fund capital developments, rather than LED lighting or the supply or installation of solar panels. Eligible schemes will include those which improve productivity for the business and supply chain and make use of clean and/ or renewable energy production and the recycling of goods and materials. Grants between £25K and £100K are available, with a maximum intervention rate of 20% of the cost of the development. To be awarded the minimum of £25K, you must show total project costs of at least £125K.
Anglia Capital Group
A group of Angel Investors, investing in startups and early growth stage businesses who provide innovative and potentially disruptions solutions to their industry.
Angels@Essex
A free, invitation-only investment platform that links Angel Investors to entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, allowing new disruptive technologies to flourish.
The Sounding Board
A group of entrepreneurs, professional advisors who volunteer their time to help other businesses. Amed at all businesses struggling with Growth, Strategic direction and planning, shareholder planning, stress for a specific crisis and more through 121 meetings over a 12 week period. They ask for a £1000 donation to their supported charity.
Barclay Eagle Labs
Provide business growth and support programmes as well as access to investor networks. Their Demo Directory is a platform to connect founders to potential investors, giving businesses space to showcase their business for potential investment.
British Business Bank
Provide a range of online resources with guidance on a range of finance topics for businesses looking to use external finance to grow.
Business & Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC)
BIPC is based at a range of local councils. We have listed ones at Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Offers free and low cost access to £5million worth of business intelligence, business publications, one to ones, workshops and Intellectual Property (IP) support.
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