A new £4 million innovation grant for SMEs opens for applications

Posted by Jim on November 12, 2021 / Posted in Blog

Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) has launched the Economic Recovery Innovation Grant (ERIG) to support small and medium-sized businesses to develop and implement innovative projects.

ERIG will provide up to £5,000 to help businesses develop new, or improve existing products, services or processes through innovation. The grant will support eligible costs, including:

testing and developing new products or processes
equipment
skills development
marketing
consultancy

ERIG is open to any business that can demonstrate it meets all the eligibility criteria outlined in the scheme guidance (PDF, 268K).

How to apply

Before you start the application process, you should familiarise yourself with the Frequently Asked Questions.

You should then complete the Eligibility Checker to find out if you are eligible to apply.

If you’re eligible, but not in possession of Silver Level Innovator recognition (dated 1 April 2021 or later), you must also complete an Innovate NI self-assessment. The assessment is quick and easy to complete. Businesses assessed as Silver Level Innovators will be eligible to apply for ERIG.

It may take up to four working weeks for Innovate NI to assess your application and issue an Innovation Recognition Level, if appropriate. All eligible Silver Level Innovators will receive an email from Innovate NI which will provide access to the online application for ERIG.

Deadline for applications

Applications close at 17:00 on Monday 31 January 2022.

However, grants will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If the available budget is fully allocated before this date, Invest NI reserves the right to close applications early.

You should apply as early as possible, as the ERIG application and assessment process may take eight working weeks to complete.

Full details on the scheme, eligibility criteria and how to apply are available on the Invest NI website.

ERIG is managed and administered by Invest NI and part-funded by the Department for the Economy Economic Recovery Action Plan.

First published 9 November 2021