Monika Dabrowska of Innovaction Global, an innovation consulting company near Portsmouth.
Britain’s race to net zero by 2050 is to receive a boost in the Central South region.
Innovators looking to bring clean-growth ideas to market are to benefit from industry expertise on how best to impress investors and funders with a great pitch deck.
An innovation programme of support of five sessions will be held throughout this year, with the first two cohorts being held online in March and April.
The programme of support is delivered through the Low Carbon Solent, a unique support project for 200 small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Low Carbon Solent combines the knowledge and expertise of lead partner University of Portsmouth, with that of the University of Winchester and Greentech South (GTS), the technology and innovation cluster.
Through Low Carbon Solent, SMEs can plug into innovation support – including accessing expertise to help develop projects suitable for postgraduate students, networking events and financial support for innovation grants. A series of webinars, with up to 20 participants per cohort, brings together four keynote speakers from the region.
They reveal what is required to create a powerful pitch deck which could lead to the vital next step for clean-growth, low carbon innovations.
One of the speakers is Monika Dabrowska of Innovaction Global, an innovation consulting company at Whiteley, near Portsmouth, which helps businesses with grant applications and managing R&D-funded projects.
Monika said: “Many innovators have superb ideas for technologies, products and services to reduce or eliminate harmful carbon emissions.
“But, as any entrepreneur will tell you, the cash burn rate in R&D can be so rapid that external investment or funding is needed to avoid crashing or mothballing.
“Which means many SMEs and early-stage firms face the anxious prospect of having to attract new funding through a pitch deck to hard-nosed investors and funders.
“Pitch decks matter – they can make or break people if they haven’t got their commercial proposition right. We can help them break through the many challenges.”
Matt Pullinger, Industry Liaison Officer – Low Carbon Technologies at Greentech South, said: “The webinars are designed to help businesses understand the role and components of pitch deck creation to help facilitate future opportunities, such as tendering opportunities, collaboration or funding requests.
“Sectors which can drive reduced carbon emissions here in the Solent region include marine, aviation, energy, water, waste management and construction.”
GTS was created in 2014 by Future South, which works with local government, business and academia to support collaboration on clean innovation.
GTS was the UK’s first European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis-accredited cleantech network.
Since 2014 Future South and GTS have been helping businesses transform their innovative, low carbon ideas into commercialised products and services – stimulating sustainable economic growth and creating job opportunities in the green economy.
They work with higher education institutions, businesses and public bodies to support collaboration on innovation and research and to capitalise on the world-class research within the region.
GTS is the only UK member of the International Cleantech Network, a global community of clusters that represent over 16,000 SMEs, 100 cities and 80-plus research organisations.
GTS is also a founder hub of Clean Growth UK, a pioneering, university-led innovation network of forward-thinking green businesses.
Through this partnership they have created a “vibrant community” of more than 2,000 members, delivered 150-plus innovative planet-friendly products and services and facilitated an income of more than £18m for members R&D projects.
Other speakers at the webinars are Dr John Richardson, an innovation advisor and consultant from the Business School at the University of Winchester, Clive Bonny, whose work includes designing and delivering programmes for fast growth development, widening supply chains and intellectual property innovations, and Adrian Price, who has helped nearly 200 med-tech start-ups through the University of Portsmouth’s SIGHT programme.
Find out more at https://www.greentechsouth.com/lcs
GTS is also involved in the ERDF-funded project EMphasis3, which is currently offering free energy audits to SMEs.
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