SMART (Northern Ireland Business Grant)

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The Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology (SMART) programme in Northern Ireland gives funding and assistance to individuals and small businesses for research in the field of innovation.

Structure of Invest Northern Ireland

SMART is one of a range of government–sponsored programmes run by Invest Northern Ireland. Daily business is conducted by an independent Board and overseen by the Government Minister for the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI).[1] Invest NI is used to implement the government policy of stimulating new businesses in areas of high unemployment like Northern Ireland. SMART spreads the high costs and associated risks of research and development for new, innovation-based businesses, and so encourages their start-up.

Eligibility for awards

In general, SMART is open to individuals, sole traders, partnerships, independent companies, or parts of a group that are both based or planning to be based in Northern Ireland and do not exceed certain size criteria.[2]

Size of awards

The awards are competitive, but if successful, applicants receive support of up to £45,000 at stage one carry out the research, and up to £150,000 at stage two of the programme over a 6-18 month period to help carry out their technical and commercial feasibility studies.[2]

There is also a SMART Micro programme, designed for smaller projects. This offers funding of up to £10,000.[2]

By 2006, £1m of grants was being given to applicants in Northern Ireland.[3]

Some current and previous SMART awards recipients

  • Adaptive Communication Systems - Testing, verifying and debugging complex electronic designs, based at ECIT at the Queen's University of Belfast
  • Giltspur Scientific - Manufacturers of orthopaedic shoes for the treatment of lameness in dairy cows
  • Haemoband Surgical – The ‘Haemoband Multi-Ligator’ for treatment of haemorrhoids
  • InspecVision Ltd. - A manufacturer of computer vision inspection systems
  • Integrated Silicon Systems Ltd
  • Merlin Microwave Ltd
  • Westlink Autogas

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Our Structure" Retrieved 26 August 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "SMART" Retrieved 26 August 2007.
  3. ↑ "News" Retrieved 26 August 2007.

External links

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