The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has backed a new initiative to support manufacturers in the rail, road and aerospace industries.
The LEP has awarded the £2.7m Catalysing Growth through Research for Transport Equipment Manufacturing project with a £1.3m injection.
The three-year project will begin this summer and companies will be able to access support from co-investors the University of Derby and Loughborough University.
It comes days after D2N2 invested £10m in Enabling Innovation; a £20.3m scheme to support small businesses across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. It will be led by Nottingham Trent University, the University of Derby and the University of Nottingham.
Peter Richardson, chairman of the D2N2 LEP, said: “These two projects will help hundreds of SMEs gain the expert help they need, to innovate and grow their businesses. This will create jobs in our key economic sectors; including transport equipment manufacturing, food and drink, and creative and digital.
“The LEP has an over-arching target of helping create 55,000 additional private sector jobs over ten years and grow the number of businesses, and these projects are a significant boost towards that; making use of the excellent academic and industry know-how in our area.”
