Eco-I North West is a £14m business R&D programme open to businesses across the UK North West. Delivered by a consortium of universities (University of Cumbria, Lancaster University, UCLAN, Manchester Metropolitan University, Liverpool John Moores University, and the University of Liverpool) and following 8 years of award winning and successful collaborative R&D activities, Eco-I North West seeks to support low carbon business innovations across the region through a variety of short and long term interventions.

The aim is to deliver a transition to a low carbon economy in all sectors. Eco-I NW is not led by specific technologies, but instead is driven by business needs and helps to facilitate a collaborative approach to problem solving. Our collaborative approach means that there is something for everyone.

Each institution offers a different set of expertise, equipment and resource which we are opening up to businesses. Through Eco-I NW we’re able to offer a complementary approach to suit business research and development across a variety of sectors, disciplines and complexities. Eco-I NW is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Since the programme began we have been working closely with a number of Cumbrian SMEs, to set up project support though the alignment PhD projects, Masters level research and internships with business needs and challenges relating to low carbon innovation. Through this work we have found that Cumbrian businesses have a great appetite for carbon reduction and transition to zero carbon, and as the programme progresses we are looking to engage with more new business who want to make low carbon changes to their way of operating or introduce low carbon products or services.

Along with the academic research support we will also be offering Cumbrian SMEs the opportunity to take part in a programme of carbon reduction focused events, these free events include online and venue based workshops, and online networking forums. Events will be delivered by a collaboration of expert contributors and begin in November 2021 and run until July 2022. The programme of events is designed for any SME that wants to better understand their impact, and to take practical action to improve how their business can successfully transition to a low carbon future.  Events will provide tools and processes to support SMEs in tackling business challenges, along with learning from other businesses, sharing opportunities and challenges and coming away having made tangible progress. The programme has been designed to provide entry points for businesses at varying stages of their journey to zero carbon; from those who know they need to make a change but don’t know where to start to those who are already making changes and want network with other SMEs in a similar position. The full programme will be available to share and open to registration from the end of September 2021.

If you would like to find out more about Eco-I North West and how it can support Cumbrian business please get in touch with me via michael.siddall@cumbria.ac.uk Project Manage- Eco-I North West- University of Cumbria.