University gets £4.7m ERDF boost to help growth

MANCHESTER Metropolitan University and its partners have been awarded £4.7m by the European Regional Development Fund to develop and deliver regional growth and innovation across Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington.

Manchester Met is developing three distinct programmes, which will provide support to around 500 companies over the next three years, delivered at no cost to be business owner, and funded partly by ERDF, starting in May 2016.

The Cheshire Growth Programme will help Cheshire and Warrington-based SMEs to grow through an injection of expert knowledge and peer support.

The Manchester High Growth Network will support firms already growing to reach their potential and to expand quickly.

SMART Cheshire will support firms in Cheshire and Warrington that want to innovate and work with academic and scientific experts in Crewe, Warrington and Alderley Park.