Funding for low carbon knowledge transfer in the East of England

The Low Carbon KEEP Programme is a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and East of England Development Agency (EEDA) funded knowledge transfer scheme designed to help small to medium sized businesses in the East of England reduce carbon emissions, develop academic partnerships, and improve their competitiveness, productivity and profits.

Low Carbon KEEP Programme seeks to invest 2.8m euro into knowledge transfer activities with a low carbon theme. Funding is available now and until the end of December 2013 for businesses with 249 or fewer employees based in Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire or Norfolk. The knowledge base itself can be located anywhere in the UK.

Any project which reduces carbon, or carbon equivalent, emissions within the business itself, upwards through its supply chain or downwards into its customer base can qualify as a Low Carbon KEEP project. A typical project could address resource efficiency within a business, development of new products or services, innovation in process or attainment of accreditation.

This is a great opportunity for SMEs to access the wealth of knowledge available in UK universities, with the aim of supporting SMEs in the transition to a low carbon economy. A successful project under the Low Carbon KEEP programme would see an experienced graduate employed by the knowledge base partner, but working as a fully engaged member of staff within the recipient SME, and supported by an expert academic for half a day every week.

For further details please contact the programme management team on 0845 196 4310/3176, email lowcarbon@anglia.ac.uk or visit the programme microsite, www.anglia.ac.uk/lowcarbon.