This in from Laura on behalf of the Solent LEP. Ed
A £3.7m fund to help businesses in the Solent has opened today (June 16), giving SMEs in the region access to money to help them create jobs and grow.
The Solent LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership), in partnership with Portsmouth City Council, has today launched its Solent Advanced Manufacturing SME Fund. The funding pot, previously known as the Solent Futures Fund, was originally only open to businesses directly within the supply chain of Portsmouth Naval Base.
From today it has been extended to any SMEs in the Solent maritime, defence, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and general services support for the defence and advanced manufacturing cluster supply chains. The limit available for individual companies has also been raised from £300,000 to a maximum of £500,000.
Solent LEP Senior Account Manager, Steve Futter, said:
“The Solent has a strong specialism in defence industries and we need to ensure that for decades to come. This fund aims to safeguard and develop the industry, creating new jobs, safeguarding existing ones, exploiting innovative business models, improving competitiveness and increasing export business.
“We would urge any eligible SME to get in touch and take advantage of this opportunity.”
Image: Images of Money under CC BY 2.0
