The National Composites Centre (NCC) has recently launched a programme, SME Boost, where it will provide 50 per cent match funds up to £25k to assist UK SMEs to develop composites products. NCC works for the development of digital technologies for composites and growing the market for composites by driving innovation through collaboration and partnerships.

The process for getting involved is very straightforward: interested companies simply submit an idea and a business case to the NCC which will be assessed by a panel of composites experts. Projects meeting the criteria will then be invited to work with the NCC Connect team to deliver the project, according to a press release by NCC.

“We’re really excited to be able to provide SMEs with this new route to collaborate with the NCC. In essence working with us doubles your investment and we also help back you up with skills, capabilities and networking opportunities. Our aim is to help make innovative composites R&D as straightforward as possible for the UK’s smaller companies,” Katy Riddington, business unit director, NCC Connect, which specialises in SME support said.

The NCC is a world-leading authority on composites that brings together and develops the best minds and the best technologies to help solve the world’s most complex engineering challenges, be that heat shields for space, the future of air travel, new approaches to energy, or disruptive technologies that enable new products to be created.