iEA, based at the University of Cambridge Hauser Forum, was established to create and inspire a range of activities that enhance early stage business ventures.
Each year, iEA seeks partners with whom to develop a portfolio of projects that will establish effective and creative support mechanisms for ventures with high growth potential in the east of England. This year, a £160,000 grant fund will be allocated to projects that will accelerate the development of early stage ventures into their next phase of growth.
The projects shortlisted by the assessment panel are:
Labstract Ltd is a bioscience support company that provides tools and lab facilities to small and growing biotechs, giving them access to laboratory equipment and facilities, as well as providing laboratory training to entrepreneurs and innovators to develop key skills.
Smart Anglia aims to be a virtual centre of excellence network, connecting a range of corporates, community projects, local authorities, SMEs and universities. A key aspect will be business incubator links that use the "hub and spoke" model to support the development of fledgling companies. The IP Network is a special interest group open to businesses in the ICT industry and will be based at Innovation Martlesham.
Mentor East is a programme proposed by Cloud Speed, the organisation behind Springboard, to partner with Cambridge Network and Norfolk network to deliver a series of "speed mentoring" events in Cambridge and Norwich.
Wysing Arts Centre has proposed a programme of artist-led creative workshops for early stage innovation businesses. The programme uses their experience of bringing together artists, innovators and thought leaders to generate creative outputs and problem solving and applies this framework within an innovation and business context.
1NNOVATE is an online accelerator initiative offering one-to-one start-up mentoring and crowdsourcing to early stage enterprises.
Shortlisted projects will be invited to submit full proposals for consideration in July with a view to selected projects starting in August.
*******
Further information can be obtained from iEA Director Stewart McTavish, directors@ideaspace.cam.ac.uk
____________________________________________________