Essex Innovation

About Us

The Essex Innovation Programme has been running for nearly 10 years. In that time we have worked with over 1000 companies helping them to start up, to grow and to introduce new products to market.

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Helping Essex companies access over £2million in funding in the last 2 years

Helped over 200 businesses to start up in the last 5 years

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Example: delivered efficiency savings of £350,000 per year

Helped over 100 companies to increase their productivity

How We
Can Help

Providing companies with experienced professional private sector support and networks to help them to grow and commercialise their innovative ideas.

We work with Young Entrepreneurs through the Prince’s Trust programme, this programme does not have the same requirement for technical innovation. We commonly work with:

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Established Businesses

Our team of C-suite private sector mentors have vast experience in working with, in and for large companies faced with growth aspirations and challenges and looking to drive innovation into...

Small Businesses

Small business forms the backbone of the UK economy. We are working with small businesses to help them to accelerate their growth.

Start-Ups

EIP works with start-up and pre-start up companies who are looking to develop a product or service that contains an element of innovation.

Young Entrepreneurs

If you’re aged 18-30, unemployed or working fewer than 16 hours a week and have a business idea, the Enterprise programme can help decide what's right for you.

Case
Studies

The Essex Innovation Programme has worked with many businesses and individuals to help them to bring new products to market, review and innovate, collaborate with educational and research organisations . . .

Proform Europe

Proform Europe - one of the leading manufacturers of educational tables and chairs

Excalibur Screwbolts

Excalibur Screwbolts - award-winning innovation for the international construction industry

Innovation
News

Business news and updates from across the county...

All Our Articles

50 of the brightest and most innovative companies in Essex identified

Innovation 50 project indicates important characteristics & strategies of SMEs showing growth potential...

Environmentally friendly toilet tissue company wins Essex innovation award

BIG Business Boost competition identified Essex's most promising entrepreneurs and micro businesses

Free course for entrepreneurs planning to start high growth businesses

Entrepreneurs will be able to pitch for up to £2000 to further develop their enterprise idea

Winners of the Essex Business Excellence Awards announced

Highlighting the best in Essex Commerce

Helping to cover the cost of energy efficiency measures for small or medium-sized enterprises

Low Carbon Across the South East (LoCASE)

Business Development Rate Relief Scheme

To encourage and support business growth in the Uttlesford District

New business space with unrivalled ultrafast broadband connectivity

A hub for emerging & established creative/digital businesses, finance and IT companies

Recognising and supporting entrepreneurs with physical challenges and mental health issues

Supporting entrepreneurs who have overcome adversity

Scheme to provide grants for Small and Medium Enterprises

Businesses in the Tendring district can apply for the Small and Medium Enterprises Growth Fund

Business Entrepreneurs Graduate From Inspiring Enterprise Course

Entrepreneurs graduate with a view to setting up a business in Essex

Winners of the North Essex Business Awards announced

The awards highlighted business success in Essex

Essex Innovation Programme and ARU looking for the fastest growing companies in the county

The Innovation 50 project will identify where additional support will help companies grow even faster...

Disability Entrepreneur Awards

The BIG Business Boost competition has launched two new awards for 2016

StartUp Britain bus comes to Chelmsford

Inspiring individuals to turn their business ideas into action

Supporting companies to win awards and recognition

Companies supported by the Essex Innovation Programme have recently won a series of business awards

Last chance for businesses to enter the Best New Business Award

Category forms part of the Essex Business Excellence Awards

Dragons’ Den Star Levi Roots to speak about raising business profile

Levi Roots will be the keynote speaker at Maldon District Council’s ‘It’s All About Business’...

Second Queen’s Award for pioneering Screwbolt firm

Company's bolts used in Crossrail, Channel Tunnel Rail Link & the 2012 London Olympics

The BIG Business Boost competition is back!

Looking to find and support Essex's most promising enterpreneurs and micro businesses for the 2nd year...

Meet business experts & attend FREE business clinic at Innovation 50 Showcase

Innovative companies are invited to attend the evening showcase event

Inspiring Enterprise - FREE course for entrepreneurs with a business idea

Free course to help people gain entrepreneurial skills

£500,000 business growth loan fund offered to innovative businesses

Growing businesses in the Braintree District area invited to apply for capital investment loans

Amazon to sponsor game industry event in Essex

The Indie Dev Meetup is dedicated to professionals in, or interested in joining, the video games industry...

Enter your business for the Essex Business Excellence Best New Business Award

Businesses which are three years old, who are experiencing growth & have plans to expand in the future...

Innovation 50 launches to support business growth in Essex

Innovation 50 project is looking for the 50 most innovative SME's in Essex

Essex Businesses Announced As Finalists In Business Competition

The Essex Innovation Programme provided mentoring to three finalists to help expand their businesses ...

Access to finance schemes for entrepreneurs

Various links from BIS for potential financial support

Excalibur Screwbolts goes underground with Crossrail

Excalibur Screwbolts won a contract to supply Crossrail station with their Excalibur Screwbolt PLUS

£1 million funding for revolutionary medical device for dialysis patients

Device will ensure minimally invasive vascular access for patients with kidney disease

New business competition won by innovative ‘Magic Sleepwear’

The Essex BIG Business Boost competition funded by the Essex Innovation Programme

Business entrepreneurs graduate from Essex Entrepreneurs Programme

Entrepreneurs graduate with a view to setting up a business in Essex

Fashion boutique launches unique pop up service

Personal service brought to customers via pop up boutique

A Wide Range
Of Expertise

This programme is part of a wider team of professionals working with businesses across a number of business growth themes; international market access, business incubation, innovation and business development.

INVEST Essex

Helping businesses to establish a foothold in the UK and European markets. Promoting the opportunities of a location on the doorstep of London and Cambridge and with excellent links to Europe to companies in the UK, Europe and globally.

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Essex Enterprise Centres

Providing a flexible, stimulating and supportive business environment for companies, typically micro and small, looking to take their first steps into occupying premises. Our Enterprise centres are located in Basildon, Clacton and Ongar.

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Essex Innovation Programme

A no fee programme helping companies, both early stage and established, to develop their creative and innovative commercial development ideas. Providing experienced professional private sector support to help businesses to grow and commercialise their innovative ideas.

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Essex International

Helping companies and organisations to access the Chinese market. Providing unique access through an exclusive 27-year relationship with the Jiangsu province in China. Essex International have the right connections to help businesses to export, pursue partnerships, the right expertise and in market presence develop connections and partnerships and the right experience to help organisations increase their presence in the Chinese market.

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Contact

Emma Wakeling Business Innovation Manager

Emma Wakeling

Business Innovation Manager

Biography

Leading on the Essex Innovation Programme and developing new support mechanisms to enable Essex businesses to grow. Managing a team of experienced private sector business mentors who work closely with multi-sectoral established businesses and start-ups to embed innovative practices. Focusing on product (including intellectual property), process, organisational and marketing innovation. Developing key collaborative strategic partnerships with industry and academia.

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Helen Quinnell Innovation Manager

Helen Quinnell

Innovation Manager

Biography

I work with innovative SMEs across Essex providing a range of support to enable business growth through the Essex Innovation Programme. This includes business mentoring for start-ups, early stage and established companies, signposting to funding and finance, as well as arranging networks and events to provide opportunities for business collaboration.

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Danielle Estlea Innovation & Sector Development Officer

Danielle Estlea

Innovation & Sector Development Officer

Biography

I work within the Enterprise Team to support, coordinate and manage the delivery of a range of activities to deliver the above, including; providing businesses with access to first class innovation support, supporting and developing the delivery of vibrant sector networks, anticipating challenges affecting businesses' competitiveness and plans for growth, and developing and delivering specific and generic solutions .

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