Introducing Innovate UK EDGE

Innovate UK EDGE

Bespoke support that grows & scales innovative businesses.

Part of the UK’s innovation agency, we enable innovation-driven businesses to grow at pace and deliver on their industry and societytransforming ambitions.

Innovate UK EDGE

We offer business and innovation support tailored to the needs of ambitious innovation-driven small or medium-sized UK businesses.

Scaling: 3% of client base (50%+ growth)

High growth: 42% of client base (20%+ growth)

Growth: 55% of client base

Priority areas: Exploit innovation

Source finance

Enter markets

Internationalisation

Helping innovative business to find new partners/collaborations, via:

• Global Business Innovation Programmes

• Global Incubator Programmes

• Enterprise Europe Network

• Konfer

IP Audit

Working with the IPO we act as a gateway to funded Innovation IP initiatives delivered by IP Lawyers.

• IP Audit

• IP Access

• IP valuation

Scale Up

High Growth Services

Scale Up Programme

This programme comprises a group of high calibre business advisers, providing a matrix of skills and connectivity including: Finance, M&A, International Markets, IP, Talent Management, Infrastructure Development.

RTO/Catapult grant

Innovate UK EDGE is partnering with Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) across the UK to award 100% funded grants of up to £15,000 to ambitious high growth SMEs.

Investment readiness inc Investability

• 1 to 1 advisory support.

• Structured training in the fundamentals of investment readiness.

• Investment pitching opportunities.

Growth Services

IP support and funding

• Intellectual Property guidance –including copyright, patent, trademark and non disclosure agreements.

• Supporting companies to identify and source relevant grant opportunities and publicly funded business support programmes.

Exploit Innovation

Our specialists help SMEs generate, manage and commercialise ideas more rapidly, ensuring more of the businesses we fund (and some that we don’t) have the means to grow and scale, through:

• Targeted assessment of client needs

• Developing a strong innovation culture and introducing techniques to breed innovative ideas to drive growth

• Adapting business models to exploit intellectual assets (e.g. IP Audits) through continuous innovation

• Ensuring market readiness (validating technology, identifying value propositions, understanding market potential and building marketing strategies)

Enter New Markets

Our specialists offer innovative SMEs several ways to build their knowledge of, and exploit opportunities in, key overseas markets:

• Accessing our extended global network: Enterprise Europe Network operates in over 65 countries, inc USA, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore. Our specialists provide access to comprehensive and tailored advice

• Innovate UK initiatives to help SMEs learn about specific international markets in person and build innovation relationships there, supported by our specialists (such as Global Business Innovation Programmes and Global Incubator Programme)

• Providing access to focused brokerage events helps clients to find new international business innovation opportunities and key markets/sector information

Source Funding & Finance

Our specialists help SMEs develop funding and finance strategies that support their innovation and expansion, with guidance on the best options from regional, national and international sources, both public and private, often reviewing applications as a critical friend. Per growth stage this can mean:

Seed and early stage

•Introducing financial controls, KPIs & understanding of financial management

•Developing realistic finance strategies to achieve innovation goals & growth ambitions

•Maximising the benefit of tax credits, patent box etc

•Helping to improve pitching & investment readiness through our national Invest-ability initiative.

Growth stage

•Supporting 2nd round equity finance process

•Securing grant funding for collaborative projects

•Improving the management of cash/working capital Scale

•Leveraging the assets of the company

•Using debt finance

•Supporting innovation loan finance

Invest-ability

Invest-ability: Intensive training

Invest-ability Intensive Training is by invitation only from your innovation and growth specialist. In each intensive training cohort, we support 15 innovative growth businesses that aim to raise investment of at least £500K+ in the next 24 months and that have secured a minimum of £100K in income from grants, investment, or revenue.

Invest-ability Intensive Training includes, structured training in the fundamentals of investment readiness, including constructive feedback from active investors.

Tailor-made investment readiness advice and support to:

• prepare for a round and due diligence.

• validate product- market fit.

• challenge financial forecasts & long-term capital planning.

• review a plan to manage the round.

• target & approach investors.

• review deck types, one pagers & pitching skills.

Pitch Panel

Pitch Panel offers exposure to real investors for constructive and confidence-building feedback on your pitch. Typically, it is for companies who already have a strong investor pitch, or who have a specific need to focus on pitching.

Suitable client's will be invited to register for The Pitch Panel by their innovation and growth specialist and they will then be asked to supply further pertinent information. Each Pitch Panel has a sector focus. Some of the upcoming Pitch Panel sectors include:

• Med Tech.

• Digital and Software as a Service.

• Health Tech, Med Tech and Wellbeing.

• Smart Manufacturing.