Breakfast event will help Hereford firms (From Hereford Times)

Breakfast event will help Hereford firms

1:00pm Thursday 25th June 2009 in

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HEREFORDSHIRE’S technology startups and small businesses are being invited to a breakfast event on Wednesday, July 1, to find out how they could access up to £45,000 in grants.

The event, being held at the Rural Enterprise Centre on the Rotherwas Industrial Estate will outline details of three schemes aimed at helping local businesses innovate and develop new products.

The Advantage Proof of Concept Fund (APoC) is a regional fund that is worth nearly £6 million, offering individual innovation grants of between £5,000 and £30,000, intended to fulfil businesses’ new product development requirements.

Administered by the Central Technology Belt and managed for Herefordshire by Malvern Hills Science Park, the APoC has already delivered more than £275,000 to 10 companies since last November.

Details of the scheme, designed to give technology businesses support worth up to £15,000 in areas such as business set-up, finance, training and skills, as well as accessing international opportunities, will also be available.

In addition, companies will find out how they could apply for Index Vouchers, which offer small and medium sized businesses vouchers worth up to £3,000 to purchase academic support for innovation from one of 13 universities in the West Midlands.

Those interested in attending the free breakfast event can call Ian Page at the MHSP on 01684 585200 or email ian page@mhsp.co.uk.

The one-hour event starts at 8.30am and places are restricted to 20 and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.