£100k innovation fund is boost to local jobs

More than £100,000 is being made available by Erewash Borough Council to help create jobs across the borough – by encouraging local firms to innovate.

The boost is in the form of research and development grants that businesses can apply for.

The authority will pay two thirds of the bill for coming up with new products, processes and technologies. Firms that agree to meet a third of their project’s costs can be awarded sums of between £5,000 and £20,000.

Cllr Curtis Howard, who is Erewash’s Lead Member for Planning and Regeneration, said: “The latest round of grants uses Government money that the council has secured via the East Midlands Mayor. We have been offering similar R&D grants since 2022. It means a total of £214,000 has been pumped into the local economy – securing existing jobs and creating new ones. Industries that have been helped range from furniture makers to factories that produce machinery. We’ve been very proud to support our great local manufacturers – but I’d very much like to see a broader range of local businesses apply and benefit.”

Ex-mental health nurse Emily Willis is among those who have not looked back since successfully applying for one of the grants for her Long Eaton company which supplies nutritious microwaveable meals for key workers such as nurses. Recipes have been perfected with the help of nutritionists, dieticians and food scientists at Nottingham University’s Food Innovation Centre.

Long Eaton engineering firm I.Holland Ltd – which makes equipment for punching out pills such ibuprofen – got £10,343 towards making its products more sterile for the pharmaceutical industry.

One company that won a grant was featured on ITV’s This Morning. A T-shirt firm which was the brainchild of an 11-year-old called Max. He was granted a patent after coming up with the idea of sewing fidget toys called Pop-Its into T-shirt seams – to help soothe those like himself who have neurodivergency.

Information on the grants is on the Erewash Borough Council website here: Research and Development Grant | Erewash Borough Council