Grants for tech scheme in Sheffield City Region

Small firms are being urged to apply for grants for technology to boost productivity '“ like Mayflower Engineering.
Kevan Bingham, boss of Mayflower Engineering.Kevan Bingham, boss of Mayflower Engineering.
Kevan Bingham, boss of Mayflower Engineering.

The SFSY Connection and Innovation Vouchers Scheme offers up to half the costs of ‘digital innovation,’ to a total of £12499.50p in European funding.

Mayflower Engineering in Darnall received half the £15,000 cost of a customer management system.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Boss Kevan Bingham said it allowed them to spend twice as much as planned - and buy a system that was “four times as good”.

Natalie Ward, programme manager for SFSY – Superfast South Yorkshire – said: “We are delighted to be offering SMEs in the Sheffield City Region the opportunity to introduce new digital innovations with vouchers up to £12,499, with the aim of improving performance and driving growth.”

The scheme is being promoted by Azzure IT, based on Sheffield Business Park.

Managing director Craig Such, said: “In today’s world, digital is key to boosting productivity, smarter business decisions, empowering employees, differentiating your service and so much more”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“To see South Yorkshire’s productivity levels well below the national average, which is also in decline, is a concern. Growing businesses all reach a tipping-point where the tools that supported them now hold them back but they need to know the commercial opportunities are huge”.

A look at the regional and sub-regional productivity in the UK by the Office for National Statistics reveals South Yorkshire has the lowest labour productivity of the city regions at 17 per cent below the UK average, he added.

Applications for Superfast South Yorkshire Innovation Vouchers are open until August 4, 2018.