Eco-I NW is a £14m business Research and Development (R&D) programme which will support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across the North West (Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire and Warrington).
Eco-I NW follows 8 years of award winning and successful collaborative R&D activities. It is delivered by a consortium of universities; Lancaster, Central Lancashire, Cumbria, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores and Manchester Metropolitan. Eco-I NW is here to support SMEs as they undertake low carbon business innovations across the region.
Through Eco-I NW we seek to support low carbon business innovations across the region, including the areas of Cumbria and Lancashire.
Eco-I NW is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Our offer to you:
As one of the partner universities in this initiative, we will be supporting SMEs to design and run research and innovation projects. These will support the development of new products and processes, reduce costs of product production and reduce carbon emissions.
We are not led by specific technologies or area of research, but instead are driven by business needs and will facilitate a collaborative approach to problem solving.
Our approach is to talk with companies and uncover their challenge areas and provide support for their particular needs.
This can often mean supporting the development of a new product or service, exploring an innovative technology or expanding understanding to allow new markets to be reached.
The programme also includes a focused blend of business leadership development, workshops which support the research projects, as well as providing networking and exposure to a range of collaborative support opportunities.
You can access this support in 3 different ways:
12 Month Masters by Research
A dedicated full time researcher to work on your project at Masters level, supported by our academics, with access to our global contacts and resources within the university.
Internships 140 hrs
A dedicated programme of support delivered by an appropriate student matched to your business need funded to work on your project supported by an academic, or team of academics.
3 Month Innovation Project
Working with a specialist academic who has expertise in the area to support your business’s innovation idea. They will work collaboratively with your business for 3 months to develop opportunities and innovation that will not only help to reduce your carbon footprint but could support your company’s growth in the existing market or help enter new markets.
Contact us:
Please get in touch with us for further information and business enquiries.
Email: wastemanagement@uclan.ac.uk, or call: 01772 894324
As the government funding for this project ended on 30 June 2023 please visit the Centre for Waste Management page for more information. For any other support for your business please contact our Business Enquiries Team or call us on +44 (0) 1772 895500. This support could be related to your research, development, training and consultancy needs.