Decision details

Business Innovation Fund grants (round one)

Decision Maker: Chief Executive, West of England Combined Authority

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

Delegated authority has been granted to the WECA Chief Executive to take decisions on the award of Business Innovation Fund grants in consultation with the Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities.

The Business Innovation Fund is a support programme open to West of England based Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) seeking to progress research and development (R&D) activity, at experimental development stage, that will lead to the creation of new products, process and/or services.

WECA secured £1.45m of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) support from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) towards a £3.23m total project cost to deliver this programme.

Round one grant applications were submitted and assessed against eligibility / scoring criteria. The Business and Skills Directors of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on the recommendations that emerged from this assessment process.

The Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on the proposals and were in agreement with the decision.

Decision:

Approval given to the following grant allocations:

Projects:
Project ref: BIF0004 - HBXL Group - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0035 - Motion Impossible Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0052 - PMG Services (Bristol) Ltd -£20,000
Project ref: BIF0065 - Clean Energy Prospector - £50,000
Project ref: BIF0071 - Calyo Limited -£20,000
Project ref: BIF0031 - Seetru Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0049 - Nu Nano Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0066 - Cookie Dough Franchise Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0012 - Rixxo Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0020 - Trigger Stuff CIC - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0017 - Inclusive Media Solutions Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0022 - BIRAL - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0059 - Bristol 247 CIC - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0032 - Auroch Digital Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0068 - Deathio Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0042 - Punk Couplings Limited - £50,000
Project ref: BIF0007 - Gridlock Technology Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0021 - Tallt Ventures - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0048 - Upfront Analytics Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0009 - Complete Control (UK) Ltd - £50,000
Project ref: BIF0054 - IRIS Intelligence Ltd - £20,000

Total - £510,000


Alternative options considered:

Not applicable in relation to this specific decision, i.e. this was the option considered.

Publication date: 11/05/2021

Date of decision: 15/04/2021

Accompanying Documents: