Business Durham has helped to guide businesses through the pandemic – and more help is at hand
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Salvus House – HQ for Business Durham , the business support service for Durham County Council . ne of the many significant outcomes from the global pandemic has been the need for all of us to innovate . Innovations can be small , like using an app to buy groceries or using Zoom for the first time , but they can also be significant .
The hunt for the vaccine and the time it took to reach a viable solution has been astonishing . People say “ necessity is the mother of invention ”, and the same can also be said of innovation .
County Durham businesses have been at the forefront of innovation during the pandemic .
We ’ ve seen several come forward with new ideas , adaptations of the products and services they offer , a change of approach and of outlook .
County Durham firms like Aura Infection Control expanded its customer base supplying PPE and providing support to businesses returning to work .
Or Graphene Composites , a leading global nanomaterials engineering company , speaking to a number of partners about using its GC Ink™ on its products to trap and neutralise airborne viruses including coronaviruses .
As we emerge from lockdown and recover from the seismic impact it has had on the economy , now more than ever we need businesses like those who are willing to innovate , business owners and leaders with ambition and new business starts with great
ideas . It is crucial in all instances that such businesses get the right support , which is where Business Durham can help .
The economic arm of Durham County Council delivers several programmes designed to help businesses progress , evolve and thrive in a turbulent environment .
The latest programme of this type is the Durham Future Innovation Building ( DFIB ) Project .
Janet Flowers , the innovation engagement officer leading the DFIB programme , explained : “ The project aims to create an innovation culture , where innovation is ever-present and accessible to all businesses regardless of their size .
“ We are creating opportunities for companies to collaborate and learn from industry and subject matter experts .
“ We ’ re concentrating on three key growth sectors in County Durham .
“ They are construction , health and ‘ Electech ’ ( electronics , electrical and embedded software ) and looking for companies in these sectors who are considering an investment in research and development to help bring their innovative product , process or service to market .
“ The small and medium enterprises ( SMEs ) taking part will benefit from learning to refine and embed creativity and innovation within their companies .
“ To support their journey , those taking part can attend masterclasses and workshops which can then be used to support further ideas , define needs and help them understand the different applications they can then innovate in .”
As well as the guidance , businesses can apply for two grants :
• The Innovation Research and Development grant is worth between £ 10k - £ 50k , based on a 50 per cent match from the SME .
• The Innovation Capacity grant can be used to contribute £ 6,250 towards a salary for six months of innovation expertise .
To apply , the SME must develop and submit an action plan to the DFIB panel made up of sector experts who will determine whether an application can access those grants .
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