Business Support Organisations have a common objective to improve the competitiveness of industry at either a regional, national or European level.    This could be via programmes aimed at supporting specific sectors such as manufacturing, or improving the technology expertise landscape such as Micro-Nano-Technologies, or a cross sectoral approach to improve business capabilities such as innovation activity.

At Optimat we can help you identify your regional needs in a selected technology, sector or capability.   We can even help you design an appropriate programme based on international best practice based on a recent study of over 15 European national programmes carried out by Optimat.    And finally we can manage the programme for you to minimise administrative burden and leave you free to pursue more strategic activities. 

Selected examples of our economic development experience:

Sector Policy Studies

• Economic studies to identify opportunities to diversify regional industries in sectors such as automotive, defence and offshore oil & gas
• Regional cluster mapping studies covering various sectors including aerospace, automotive, building technologies, energy, environment, food & drink, performance engineering, photonics, power generation and subsea technologies
• Economic futures studies in East Staffordshire, Moray, the Peak District and Southern Staffordshire to identify priorities for sector development
• Policy study on Innovation in Middle Market Manufacturers

Technology Policy Studies

• Evaluation of barriers to the exploitation of biotechnology in the agriculture, food, environmental and medical applications to identify priorities for EU R&D projects
• European policy study on the impact of national R&D programmes on innovation
• E-commerce impact studies in various UK industries including building services, gas retailing & distribution and metal processing
• Customer satisfaction survey for the EU RTD Programme on Information Society Technologies (IST)

Industry Support Programmes

• Management of the DTI/DEFRA sponsored ‘Pioneers Group’ aimed at helping over 40 diverse sector associations to develop sector sustainable development strategies, performance indicators and action plans for their industry (sectors ranged from banking to water)
• Development and management of the Scottish Food & Drink Industry Foresight Programme
• Market diversification support for West Midlands suppliers to the automotive industry under the Rover Diversification Taskforce project
• Capability assessment of the engineering industry in Fife

Innovation & Technology Programmes

• Company-specific support on regional innovation programmes such as Dundee-by-Design, Lanarkshire Innovation and Midlands Enviro-Innovate
• Due diligence evaluation of company applications under the Scottish Enterprise R&D Plus Scheme for large companies
• Coordination of the ERA-NET on ICT in Traditional Manufacturing Industries to facilitate collaboration between public sector programme managers in 15 European countries
• Monitoring of R&D projects on Direct Write Technology (Additive Layer Manufacturing) funded under the DTI Technology Programme

Innovation & Technology Infrastructure

• Market/economic appraisal for a European advanced process development centre to support new ventures in microelectronics, nanotechnology and photonics
• Feasibility study and business plan for a Food Industry Resource Centre in North West England to facilitate product & process innovation
• International market consultation for a £150 Intermediary Technology Institute to create world class energy technology ventures in Scotland (ITI Energy)
• Feasibility study and business plan for a Stem Cell Manufacturing Initiative