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A range of products is on offer to help companies in the region grow and develop.

Select a category below to view available options.

Business grant schemes

  • East Midlands Technology: Pathfinder Grants
    Pathfinder grants offer between £5,000 and £20,000 for projects up to six months in length. These will be projects focused on activities that gather evidence of market validation, establish the commercial opportunity and demonstrate the regional benefit of supporting the technology.

    The pathfinder awards are designed to complement emda’s existing Grant for Research and Development scheme and are available to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), or individuals with the relevant intellectual property protection.

    There is a call currently out for the Pathfinder Grants which is due to close 15 December 2008.

  • Grant for Research & Development
    Providing grants up to £200,000, the Grant for Research & Development helps businesses carry out research and development work that will lead to technologically innovative products or processes.

  • Grant for Business Investment (GBI)
    GBI (formerly known as Selective Finance for Investment in England or SFIE grants) makes discretionary grants available from Government to support businesses with investment projects which will increase productivity, skills and employment in deprived areas in England. 

  • East Midlands Technology: Demonstration Grants
    Demonstration grants range between £100,000 and £500,000 (£750,000 in exceptional circumstances) to support collaborative projects in technology transfer and new technologies enabling them to be advanced, improved and adapted for commercial use.

    Eligible lead applicants include Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) and other public sector bodies. Small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises are eligible to join the consortium.

    East Midlands Innovation is planning a future call in April 2009.

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Business equity funds
The three equity funds detailed below can provide investment between £20,000 and £660,000.

  • Lachesis Fund
    The Lachesis Fund is an early stage seed fund investing in the commercialisation of research activity undertaken at the Universities of De Montfort, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham and Nottingham Trent. The maximum investment in any project is £250k. Typically investments will be in the range £10k to £100k.

  • Early Growth Fund
    The Early Growth Fund makes commercial investments up to £200,000 in start-up and early stage businesses across the East Midlands, investing alongside private investors (Business Angels) on identical terms - every £1 the Early Growth Fund invests will be matched by at least £1 from a Business Angel.

  • Regional Venture Capital Fund
    In 2002, emda helped launch the £30m Regional Venture Capital Fund (RVCF) to support high growth companies looking to raise development funding.

    Managed by fund managers Catapult, it is designed to address the equity gap at the smaller end of the venture capital market, and can make investments in businesses of between £100,000 and £500,000.

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EnterpriseLoans East Midlands

  • EnterpriseLoans East Midlands
    Provides loans to both existing entrepreneurs and people starting up a business.

    The purpose of this fund is to support individuals with a viable business idea who require finance. This includes those in disadvantaged communities and under-represented groups.

    For a number of reasons, it can be difficult securing finance for a new business venture. EnterpriseLoans East Midlands exists to help aspiring individuals turn their plans into a business reality.

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Business angels

  • East Midlands Business Angels (EMBA)
    EMBA is a business angels network that operates in the East Midlands. It aims to arrange investments in companies with good potential for growth.

    EMBA operate as a matchmaking service between companies seeking finance and EMBA's pool of investors who are looking to invest their money and possibly play an active part in the running of the business.

    EMBA typically arrange deals between £30k to £100k but have the capability of arranging investments of up to £1.5 million.

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Other funds

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Access to Finance networks & events
Access to Finance networks and events can play a key role in helping businesses to find out about the right finance for their business and support them in securing funds.

  • Investment Readiness Connect InvoRed
    Delivered by Connect Midlands, this is a regional programme providing investment readiness support to businesses seeking £15,000 to £3.5 million of debt, grant and equity funding.

  • Growth Investment Network East Midlands
    In 2004, emda supported the establishment of Growth Investment Network East Midlands (GINEM), a network of private sector organisations set up to stimulate business growth through private equity investments, in the range of £50,000 to £2 million. GINEM members are professional organisations across the region active in investment, raising finance and support.

  • A2F Showcase events
    A2F Showcase events provide East Midlands companies seeking to raise funding with the opportunity to present their propositions to investors from outside the region, particularly those investors based in London and the South East. Organised by E-Synergy Limited, the events consist of presentations and short pitches to investors, as well as exhibitions and workshops.

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