A list of resources, schemes, services and grants promoting Research and Development (R&D) across the region.

Research and Development (R&D) together with Innovation are key elements to the future success of the region's ICT businesses. Across the West Midlands a variety of schemes, resources, services and grants are available, designed to assist businesses in making the most of their product or service. These range from advice on obtaining patents to assistance with testing and product development.

Research Expertise

ContactKE is the central point for accessing the combined expertise of the twelve universities of the West Midlands.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) is Europe's leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base.

The International Digital Lab is a £50 Million pound initiative to facilitate major collaborative research opportunities, create effective knowledge transfer between academia and industry and generate new knowledge and skills with an impact on business, society and the economy.

Services

The following public and private organisations offer advice, information and assistance regarding patents, trademarks and copyright:

• UK Intellectual Property Office - Free new booklet on 'How Licensing Intellectual Property Can Help Your Business available on this link
• The Patent Office
• The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents
• The European Patent Office
• The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys
• The Online European Patent Register
• US Patent Office (Lists many other countries Patent Offices)

Intellectual Property

• Commission for Intellectual Property Rights
• ELDIS Intellectual Property Rights Resource Guide
• Intellectual Property Explained
• MicroPatent a full-service intellectual property information, software, and consulting-services company with the world’s largest commercial collection of searchable full-text patent information.
• Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre

The British Library's Business & IP Centre is a national online resource teaching the basics in IP. There are three different courses available, with each course scheduled to take less than 2hrs to complete, The three modules are: the Basics of Intellectual Property, Searching the Database and Analysing the Markets.

Innovation

These organisations offer practical help with design and innovation often with government financial assistance.

Eureka a network for market orientated R & D.

Innovative Product Development Centre aims to make the latest technology accessible to smaller companies at low cost and low risk. They provide hands-on support to help SMEs develop new products, introduce new processes, address new markets and get to grips with the world of E-business.

Midlands Innovation Relay Centre The Innovation Relay Centre network is the official EC innovation and technology transfer support service, providing companies with access to European partners for technical cooperation, research, licensing, manufacturing and joint venture agreements.

The Technology Innovation Centre is a facility of the University of Central England and a national centre of excellence for learning, innovation and technology transfer.

Grants

Basic Technologies Programme

Faraday are dedicated to improving the competitiveness of UK industry through more effective interaction between the science and technology base and industry.

Grant for Research and Development is the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) initiative that provides grants to help individuals and small and medium-sized businesses to research and develop technologically innovative products and processes.

Index Voucher Scheme is a unique demand-led innovation voucher scheme that invites Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to apply for a voucher to purchase academic support from one of the 13 universities in the West Midlands. The project is funded by Advantage West Midlands (AWM), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).