Selected Testimonials
Charles Joynson, Managing Director, WAVEDATA LTD
“The Keep+ ETDF funding helped us to understand what our customers want us to do next. Without this and the research it funded we could have gone in the wrong direction.”
Abhishek Nakhate, Founder, Zoom Abroad
“The Keep+ program has played an instrumental role in the research and development of our company and most importantly helped us develop a state-of-the-art technology product that will touch millions of businesses and add significant value to the country’s economy. As an SME, such support is transformational. A program like this must be supported in all possible wills and intentions.”
Kemi Madumere, Director, Brighter Futures Foundation
“[Our] research project…with the University of Greenwich was pivotal in us getting a better understanding of how companies and society as a whole can better support adults with learning disabilities in the work force, in terms of getting jobs and access services in the community.
“There is still so much work to be done and learnt which can only be done with the support and expertise of universities such as the University of Greenwich, who can’t support projects like this without sufficient funding.”
Divia Bhatnagar, Co-founder, Medical Intelligence Group
“Keep+ funding…has been instrumental to our organisation which is focusing on reducing diabetic foot ulcers which are life threatening wounds for those with diabetes. Thanks to the keep+ support we were able to develop a bespoke patient mobile application which lies at the heart of our technology…hearing that this funding is being withdrawn will inhibit organisations like ours”
Kimberley Montgomery, CEO, Novlr Ltd
“ERDF Funding has been instrumental in the changes we’ve been able to make to see a step change in our growth. We would not have been in a position to take a risk on R&D without it.”
Chloe Donovan, Managing Director, Natural Building Systems“As a start-up company with limited resources our KEEP+ project allowed us to tap into a rich and diverse pool of academic knowledge which has helped accelerate our product research and development.”
Martin Horsman, Managing Director, CONNETICK LIMITED
“The ERDF funds have been a key contributor to my business growth over the recent years. The University of Derby have provided various support to our local business community…
The expert advice, networking, informative events and funded workstreams have been an important aid in protecting and growing our businesses. it is clear that businesses still desperately need this ongoing support.”
Lee-Anne Scott, Founder, INTELLIGENT REVENUE LTD
“Without the Keep+ grant, I would not have been able to build my late payments app that will benefit 1000s of SMEs who suffer the impact of late payments everyday. Keep+ provided the vital funds needed to prove concept.”
Kirsten Antoncich, Clinical Director, Positive Progress
“Without the funding, coaching and support, my business wouldn’t exist, it’s as simple as that.”
John Baker, Managing Director, Drugloo International
“The ERDF funding has been of immense assistance to us. It has enabled our company to prepare better for marketing and meeting international clients’ expectations. Without that assistance we would not have been able to introduce our company products and services internationally.
The funding has ultimately enabled us to secure new export markets for our products. Additionally, we have been able to employ two new members of staff as a direct result.”
Director of a small business
“ERDF funding was central to the development of our business. The knowledge, expertise and mentorship provided to empower entrepreneurs like myself has been priceless.
It seems to me more important than ever to be encouraging innovators into business… Whatever the cost of such programs to run, the value they deliver in supporting the next generation of new businesses in their area cannot be overstated.”
Sridevi Kalidindi, Founder and CEO, Klip Global Ltd
“The KEEP+ funding was instrumental in Klip Global being able to complete the initial phases to start as a business. We are now providing crucial wellbeing and development services for employees paid for by their employers and individuals who are self-paying – keeping them healthy and in work.
I strongly advocate for KEEP+ funding to be continued so other companies can start up and develop much needed services, tackling some of the challenges of our times.”
Director of low carbon manufacturing business
“ERDF funding has allowed us to accelerate our business’s innovative proposition and test our first product. We have now raised a total of £1M in investment and grants thanks to the exploitation of our ERDF grant results.”
Toby Kress, Programmes Director, Plus X
“Over the past 3 years Plus X has partnered with the University of Brighton who deliver the ERDF funded BRITE programme. Over this time we have supported 115+ SMEs to innovate and grow, creating high value jobs, local economic opportunity, increasing private investment and launching new products and services into the market.”
Director of a small recruitment business
“[The university support programme] has helped us grow the business from 2 people working from a coffee table at home, to a 9 person strong local business employing locally based people, 1 intern from Coventry University and an Apprentice Digital Marketeer.
All would have been potentially unachievable or taken longer (if at all) without the support.”
Anna Wanczyk, Independent Graphic Designer, CZYK Design
“The Accelerate programme [at Leeds Beckett University] has been so valuable to me and my business, all the lessons have been useful and the access to a business mentor has helped me tonnes.
It’s so great that things like this exist to help people build the businesses of the future.”
Nazar Amso, CEO, Advanced Medical Simulation Online Limited
“Advanced Medical Simulation Online Limited has benefited significantly from its collaboration with CEMET [at the University of South Wales] in that we were able to convert a vision for future remote education and training of technical skills into a proof of concept product.
We believe it’s organisations like CEMET that would prove to be pivotal to the creation of a sustainable digital future and establish Wales as the “Silicone Valley” of Great Britain. Funding is highly recommended!”
Managing Director of Spexx Digital
“Spexx has benefited greatly from the support provided by this funding. We have had both broad and specific support, from getting our business structure right for our business, to getting one to one sales training and practice, which has helped to grow our business.
We have also been signposted to grant funding which helped us to update our IT resources enabling improved efficiency and productivity. It would be a terrible loss to SME’s like ourselves, that need guidance and support in order to flourish and create both employment and taxable profits, which will ultimately benefit the local and national economy.”
Gemma Hallett, Founder, MiFuture
“Without CEMET we would not be able to explore innovating ways to improve our technology. As a start-up on a shoestring budget, access to a team like CEMET’s is instrumental in us still being here today.
I have no doubt their talent, skills and understanding of emerging and enabling technologies set us on a trajectory to still be operational. So many tech businesses will fail without this type of intervention; start-up founders cannot afford this level of skilled staff to test innovative features, and I’m certain I couldn’t find this level of skilled staff in the local talent pool.
A resource like this allows us all to benefit from expertise we are essentially locked out of.”
Brenda Etchells, Director, Carduus Ltd
“As a solo business owner looking to grow her business I received so much value and benefit through being part of the Accelerate programme [at Leeds Beckett University] – particularly the allocation of a mentor who really helped me stay focused on my growth plan.
Now 4 years in, and I am running a successful, viable business contributing to the local economy.”
Director of small tech business
“Support from innovation funding such as the ERDF has been instrumental in enabling my business to develop new concepts and ideas that I simply would not have had the resources to implement without the help of the universities and the funding provided by ERDF.
Without their support, my business would have ceased to exist.”
Director of small production company
“I have benefitted greatly from programmes and organisations that were supported by ERDF funding through helping support and fund the business and prototyping stages within my company.
I was able to develop my main product and business structure through these programmes and with the funding they provided, which has been a crucial turning point within the overall development of my business.
Without these kinds of funding and support opportunities, I believe funding options will become extremely competitive and may become bias towards certain industry sectors, leaving the ecosystem unbalanced.”
Wendy McCristal, Director, The Mental Wealth Company
“Starting a small business just before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic could have spelled the end of my business. Having free access to training that helped me to grow my business, network with other small business owners AND find new clients meant that my business not only survived the pandemic but tripled its turnover and quadrupled its profit.”
Heather Wright, Operations Manager, Writing East Midlands CIC
“We are a community interest company where the majority of our turnover is grant funding. The impact of imminently losing European funding with no replacement structure to replace it will be felt across the whole economy not just higher education.”
Deborah O’Donovan, CEO, Chater Smart
“Joining the ERDF funded ENSCITE programme [run by the University of Derby] helped Chater Smart to shape the strategy, mission and vision we needed to relaunch our early-stage business.
Having worked for many years in London, as the founder of Chater Smart I returned to Derbyshire to launch a business that will provide local jobs and supplier opportunities as I strongly believe in the importance of levelling up the UK economy.
Female founders and business owners in particular need to be able to access this sort of ongoing business support since we are statistically unlikely to receive external investor funding.”
Founder of jewellery creation business
“I have benefitted greatly from programs and organisations that were supported by ERDF funding through helping support and fund the business and prototyping stages within my company.
I was able to develop my main product and business structure through these programs and with the funding they provided, which has been a crucial turning point within the overall development of my business.
Without these kinds of funding and support opportunities, I believe funding options will become extremely competitive and may become bias towards certain industry sectors, leaving the ecosystem unbalanced.”
