West Midlands small businesses encouraged to apply for research and development grants

Creative freelancers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the West Midlands can now apply for up to £10,000 of funding to develop innovative ideas through collaborative Research and Development (R&D).

Smaller companies and freelancers can struggle to access R&D grants, something that CreaTech FrontiersLink opens in a new window, the new creative industries cluster for the West Midlands, is hoping to challenge.

CreaTech Frontiers is made up of five collaborators: Birmingham City University (BCU), University of Birmingham, Coventry University, University of Warwick and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Professor Lamberto Coccioli, Director of CreaTech Frontiers, said: “We are thrilled to launch our first call to fund innovative ideas and projects only four months after the start of the CreaTech Frontiers programme.

“We hope to receive an enthusiastic response from creative companies and freelancers all across the West Midlands and we especially encourage first-time applicants with original and untested concepts.”

A funding pot of £250,000 is being made available this summer, which will also give freelancers and SMEs access to academic R&D expertise, mentoring and training, and use world-class research and development labs to create new content, products and services. 

This is the first round of funding, with a minimum of £1.8 million expected to be awarded over five years.

Rachel Davis, Director of Warwick Enterprise at The University of Warwick, commented that “CreaTech Frontiers represents Warwick’s commitment to meaningful knowledge exchange, removing barriers for smaller organisations to access the transformative benefits of applied R&D.

“This amazing funding opportunity not only supports bold ideas but spotlights sustainability, diversity, and opportunity at the heart of innovation. I’m excited to see freelancers and SMEs benefit from access to labs, mentors, and networks, pioneering original concepts to enable businesses to grow and thrive locally, and compete on the global stage.”

Deadline for applications is Monday 4 August. Register your interest and find out more hereLink opens in a new window.

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Photo credit: Junction10 Photography

About the University of WarwickLink opens in a new window 
The University of Warwick is one of the UK’s leading universities, marking its 60th anniversary in 2025. With over twenty-eight thousand students from 147 countries, it's currently ranked 8th in the UK by The Guardian University Guide. It has an acknowledged reputation for excellence in research and teaching, for innovation, and for links with business and industry. The recent Research Excellence Framework classed 92% of its research as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. The University of Warwick was awarded Midlands University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times.