£40,000 boost for SMES with big ideas on climate change

Manufacturing News, Source : TheManufacturer.com
Published : 19 Jul 2007 15:46

Small businesses urged to grasp rapidly growing £2.8 billion climate change market

Small businesses with big ideas to combat climate change are being urged to compete for awards of up to £40,000, as the Shell Springboard programme opens for its third year. And by doing so, capture a share of the market predicted to be worth £2.8 billion to UK businesses by 2008.

Shell Springboard offers a financial boost for UK businesses with compelling ideas for tackling climate change. These must be ideas which:

· Will lead to greenhouse gas reductions

· Are commercially viable

· Are innovative

Boosted by government policy and increased consumer awareness, Shell Springboard’s research with Vivid Economics indicates the climate change market could grow by 21 per cent in 2007 – the biggest projected growth this decade. By 2008 the market will be worth £2.8 billion to UK businesses.

For those with vision, society’s need to reduce emissions is an exciting and potentially rewarding business opportunity, Shell Springboard hopes to encourage innovation in this area.

"Cutting greenhouse gas emissions is something that every business can contribute to", said Lord Oxburgh, chair of the national judging panel and former chair of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. "The markets offered by tackling climate change are an important opportunity for the four million or more small businesses in the UK. We hope that Shell Springboard helps to inspire an entrepreneurial approach to the urgent challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Up to six awards of between £20,000 and £40,000 are on offer in each of three UK regions. Last year awards of £40,000 were made to eight businesses from across the UK.

Winning a Springboard award has had a significant positive impact on many of the companies involved last year. 2006 Springboard winner, Barry Johnston from Scotrenewables, an Orkney-based tidal power company, believes the credibility of winning the Shell Springboard award helped secure additional funding in excess of £500k from the DTI and TOTAL.

“Programmes like Shell Springboard encourage small and medium sized businesses to seize the issue of climate change as a commercial opportunity that should be embraced. The award has allowed us to continue our research and development activity as well as accelerate our business development and marketing plans." said Barry Johnston.

The deadline for applications this year is 9th November 2007. Full details, and an online application form can be found at www.shellspringboard.org. Last year’s applications were truly inspiring. The website has details of all the shortlisted and winning businesses.

Judging will be carried out by three regional panels of independent experts. They’ll be looking for ideas that balance innovation with sound financial planning and market insight.

Up to two winning businesses from each region will then meet a national panel of judges, as they compete to be named the UK winner.

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