Innovation Vouchers are designed to help Northwest businesses owners, entrepreneurs and social enterprises to purchase a knowledge provider's expertise to develop innovation and enhance business.

The scheme provides vouchers of £3,000 and £7,000 to growing businesses and social enterprises and was set up to encourage and make it easier for more people to engage with the knowledge base.

The key benefits are:

* Access the wealth of knowledge from our knowledge base, including public and private sector research and technology organisations
* Resolve a business issue, quickly, efficiently and through a source not previously utilised
* Easy to apply and 'spend' the voucher
* The scheme is funded by the NWDA and ERDF, so is a credible and stable way to fund your organisation's growth.
* A voucher up to the value of £3,000 voucher is a 100% grant from NWDA excluding VAT.
* A voucher up to the value of £7,000 is a 70% grant from NWDA and businesses must contribute 30% of cash to the project cost.
* Businesses must also pay VAT on the total cost of all innovation voucher projects.

Due to continuing demand from businesses only one application per company is accepted. Applicants will be allowed to apply for a £3,000 and £7,000 in any one round provided the focus of each knowledge question is completely different.

Priority will be given to applications from companies who have not previously received an innovation voucher.