Who Can Apply for Innovation Vouchers in the Yorkshire and Humber Region?
To apply for Innovation Voucher support you need to be a Yorkshire and Humber based company, with up to 250 employees and from any sector are eligible to apply for an Innovation Voucher. Each month, companies will be invited to enter into a voucher draw by Business Link Yorkshire, in which the winners will receive a voucher up to £3,000 to contribute towards a new innovation project with knowledge providers such as Fripp Design and Research.
An Innovation Voucher worth up to £3000 will deliver a knowledge solution to an innovation project. This project should either:
- Build internal capacity.
- Explore specific business issues relating to the exploitation of new ideas.
- Address product, process or service innovation issues.
The key benefits:
- Increased profitability
- Better informed business decisions
- Improved processes
- Business model development
- Improved service delivery
- Efficiency savings
Increased market share
A fresh source of ideas
Eligibility: Yorkshire and Humber based companies, classed as an SME under the EU definition, from any sector will be eligible to apply for an Innovation Voucher.
(EU definition: up to 250 employees, annual turnover not exceeding 50 million euro or annual balance sheet total not exceeding 43 million euro).
The types of projects that could be supported:
- Research into a company’s markets and identification of new materials and products, and also alternative uses for their production skills.
- Testing the performance of the CAD model against that of the physical product.
- Research to find a solution to a problem e.g. sustainable, environmentally-friendly, easy to open yet protective packaging.
- Use of specialist facilities e.g. specialist analysis of products.
- Business process design e.g. new customer interface process.
- Exploiting new web technologies for the region and/or industry.
Ineligible costs:
- Achieving compliance with statutory regulations or legislation.
- Training courses
- Software purchases
- Aid that would promote / subsidise the cost of exports
- Internships for students of knowledge institutions
- Design and production of advertising materials
- Sales and marketing activities (except for the exploitation of new web technology for the region and/or industry).
- Accreditations
- Capital items
- Travel costs
- ‘Live’ and existing projects with the knowledge providers.
How Innovation Vouchers Work in the Yorkshire and Humber Region:
Be aware, though, that the scheme runs a little different from previous initiatives supported by Business Link.
With Innovation Vouchers there is, in effect, a 3 way relationship between you, the knowledge provider and Business Link Yorkshire. The knowledge provider is contracted to deliver Innovation Vouchers under the terms of the scheme. You are contracted with Business Link Yorkshire to accept Innovation Voucher support under the terms of the scheme; however the commercial terms of delivery are between you and the knowledge provider. In practice, this means that you pay the knowledge provider for contracted Innovation Voucher work and, once the knowledge provider confirms that they have been paid, Business Link Yorkshire then reimburse you up to £3,000 in return. If you are not VAT registered, you will not be able to claim the17.5% VAT the knowledge provider may have to charge if they are VAT registered.
Although this may appear convoluted, Fripp Design and Research believe this is the right way to deliver Innovation Vouchers; it means we continue to deliver exceptional service to you, our client, otherwise we do not get paid.
How to Apply for Innovation Vouchers:
What follows is the process to apply for an Innovation Voucher:
1. Every month 50 vouchers are selected from a draw.
2. If you are unsuccessful you applications will automatically be entered into the draw the following month.
3. The key criteria is you must be trading as a limited company or a sole trader or be self employed within the Yorkshire and Humber region.
4. Your application can be submitted online, however a hard copy with an original signature must also be sent to Business Link Yorkshire; their address is on the form; you can get the application form here
5. The draw takes place on the third Monday of the month. The deadline for applications is the Friday before.
6. Business Link Yorkshire will notify you by email if you have been successful.
7. If not; you will be notified and your application put forward for the following month.
8. Successful applications will have their details submitted to all knowledge providers (This includes Fripp Design and Research).
9. You may receive phone calls from a variety of knowledge providers asking for more information – Fripp Design and research's advice is the more information you give the better the proposal you will receive
10. Business Link Yorkshire will provide you with all the proposal they receive from the knowledge providers (the [proposals are sent to Business Link Yorkshire so you are not overwhelmed with proposals).
11. Upon receipt of the proposal you will have 5 days to make a decision on who you would like to undertake your project.
12. You notify Business Link Yorkshire of your preferred supplier.
13. You will receive an email from Business Link Yorkshire (as will your chosen knowledge provider) with three forms attached (specification template, voucher declaration form and the quotation from the knowledge provider). If there is any change to the work you require; a specification template must be completed and submitted. If there are no changes to the work required the original proposal from the knowledge provider can be submitted back to Business Link Yorkshire.
14. The knowledge provider will complete a quotation based on your original voucher application (or on the changes made on the specification template if changes are required).
15. The knowledge provider will also send a signed voucher declaration form to you for you to sign.
16. Business Link Yorkshire will then send you a funding agreement form as soon as they receive the original proposal/specification template and the knowledge provider quotation.
17. Upon receipt of the funding agreement form you sign this and return it to Business Link Yorkshire with the voucher declaration form.
18. The supplier can, then, commence the project based on the commercial terms agreed between you and the knowledge provider.
This process will take approximately 2 months to complete so you need to plan well in advance if the Innovation Voucher route is right for you.
The key dates to apply for Innovation Vouchers are as follows:
2009
Friday 21st August
Friday 18th September
Friday 16th October
Friday 20th November
Friday 18th December
2010
Friday 15th January
Friday 19th February
Friday 19th March
Friday 16th April
Friday 21st May
Friday 18th June
Friday 16th July
Friday 20th August
Friday 17th September
Friday 15th October
Friday 19th November
Friday 17th December
2011
Friday 21st January
Friday 18th February
Friday 18th March
To find out more and apply for Innovation Vouchers please visit the Business Link Yorkshire web site.
