Targeting Innovation

Connecting your business with partners to develop new products and processes

Helping companies in the south of Scotland:-

• Find the right research information to develop new ideas
• Understand how to use academic resources
• Access the available funding and advice

Special events, workshops, industry reports and private consultations

This service is available through Scottish Enterprise to all businesses with less than 250 employees in the south of Scotland.

Who runs the service?

This is a Scottish Enterprise programme run with the support of European funds. It is delivered by a special project team managed by Targeting Innovation Ltd on behalf of Scottish Enterprise.

How much does it cost?

The service as described below is free of charge.

What is the support offered designed to do for your business?

The intention is to help your company get in touch with relevant academic and business knowledge, research and expertise in order to help your business develop new products, new services or new business processes. The support is not just focused on science, engineering and technology companies. All companies, no matter what sector, can benefit from making profitable connections to other businesses or academics across a broad spectrum of disciplines from tourism to food and drink from engineering to ICT.

Few companies have all the in-house knowledge of, for example, new materials, recently developed chemicals or ICT processes to keep ahead of competitors. This service has been designed to help companies identify their particular needs and then seek out the appropriate knowledge, be it in Scottish research institutions or other universities.

The idea is to help companies accelerate the development of entirely new products and services or significantly improve existing products and services. In addition, the aim is to help companies enter new markets for their business by developing new or improved products or processes.

What help can my business expect?

The first step is to discuss your business needs for new products, new services or new processes with a Knowledge Links Facilitator. If we agree that we can help you we will arrange a follow-up meeting and prepare a plan of action specific to your needs.

The plan of action will depend on your requirements but could include arranging meetings or workshops with selected academic representatives or other research establishments. The plan might also lead to visits to research and development departments in universities or companies.

What is my company expected to do?

We want companies to view the work as your company project but supported and facilitated by Scottish Enterprise. We therefore would expect that a company project of this nature would be led by a senior director who would be able to devote adequate time to the process of exploring new products and services. In short we are willing to support your company in return for a real commitment from your company's board.

How does our company get in touch?

Simply call or email us and let us know your interest.

Contact one our Knowledge Links Facilitators:

Dumfries & Galloway:  
Alastair Macnaughton:
Email:    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel:       0141 572 1600
Mobile:  07803 034343
 
Borders:
Laura Noble:
Email:    This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel:       0131 651 4791
Mobile:  07890 580 511

Knowledge Links for Business is a Scottish Enterprise project and is part funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.  The project is being delivered on behalf of Scottish Enterprise by Targeting Innovation Ltd with support from Interface - the knowledge connection for business.