Join innovation programme visits to Ireland and Singapore

West Midlands firms with interests in the medtech and agri-food sectors are being encouraged to apply for two business innovation programmes, delivered and part-funded by Innovate UK EDGE.

A Global Business Innovation Programme for businesses interested in MedTech and Diagnostics involves a five-day visit to Ireland between 4 and 8 December.

Ireland is home to more than 300 Life Sciences companies, numerous research centres, and multiple universities engaged in biomedical research. The Irish MedTech market is valued at around �12.6 billion.

Applications are being invited from innovative companies involved in developing the range of products spanning medical technologies and diagnostics.

Applicants should be developing innovations aimed at predicting the onset of disease to enable earlier interventions, preventing major societal health challenges, and medical technologies aimed at improved disease management.

Areas of interest for the programme include Cardiovascular, Orthopaedic, Neuroscience and Neurotech, Genomics, Omics and Molecular Diagnostics.

The closing date for applications is 31 July. Successful applicants will be invited to a pre-visit briefing workshop on 18 September, before the innovation visit to Ireland between 4 and 8 December and a post-visit exploitation workshop on 8 January, 2024.

Meanwhile, a Global Business Innovation Programme for the AgriFood sector will include a visit to Singapore.

Asia is expected to be home to five-billion people by 2050, accounting for 60 per cent of global food consumption.

The ASEAN region is emerging as a major hub for AgriFood and aquaculture innovation and there are significant opportunities for innovative businesses to be successful in the areas of advanced AgriFood and food solutions. Singapore currently imports more than 90 per cent of its food.

West Midlands firms with interests in but not limited to the following are being encouraged - Aquaculture, Alternative Proteins Production, Food Waste and Controlled Environment.

The deadline for applications is 27 August. There will be a pre-visit workshop on 2 October before the innovation visit to Singapore between 30 October and 3 November and an exploitation workshop in the week of 4 March 2024.

For both programmes, Innovate UK and Innovate UK EDGE will fund and organise flights, accommodation, in-market travel, and conference fees for successful applicants.

Innovate UK will also pay for any reasonable adjustments throughout the initiative. Only one representative from each company will be funded.

West Midlands businesses who are interested in applying or finding out more information should contact Sunny Claire, senior innovation and growth specialist in the Innovate UK EDGE team based at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, on [email protected]