What is the Impact Accelerator scheme?

Impact Accelerator is a new co-founded programme to support businesses with innovation projects. Projects will be a collaboration between CCCU and the business to explore how knowledge, technology and research can develop your organisation.

The Impact Accelerator scheme will co-fund a six-week, graduate-led project supervised by an academic expert .The University will provide over £4,000 funding for each Impact Accelerator, with 67% of the project funded for SMEs* and 75% for third sector organisations.

*Small and medium sized enterprises

What are the benefits of Impact Accelerator?

• Funding up to £4,000 to drive innovation and business growth
• Access to the latest academic research, resources and graduate talent
• Can help you develop new products, processes and services
• Can help transform business models and practices
• Drive economic value i.e. create more robust income streams
• Assist in your recruitment needs

You must be an established UK registered business that has been active for three years or more and employs a minimum of four individuals.

What previous organisations who have worked with us have said:

“We were able to progress a project 12+ months earlier with the university knowledge and expertise. The work has challenged our preconceptions and both proven and disproven options for us to take going forward. The work is now the foundation for a global product line which we hope to develop and take to market within the next 24 months” (Micheal Wilshaw, Managing Director, Exroid Group)

“Working together has presented significant benefits to our business. We have collaborated on key projects which has resulted in valuable data that we are likely to use in the future to further product development, possibly leading to commercialisation of a novel assay. I’d encourage other companies to collaborate with Christ Church and academia in general.” (Tom Beckitt, Global Product Manager & Principal Scientist, Genea Biomedix)

Do you have a project idea that would benefit from academic expertise and funding?

If you have an innovative project and wish to collaborate with the University through this programme, please contact toby.lucas-smith@canterbury.ac.uk to discuss this further.