Dennis Kehoe, AIMES
The economy in the North West Coast has received the biggest boost yet from the Innovation Agency.
In the last year alone, 343 businesses have been supported, resulting in the creation of 112 jobs; £12.8m funding secured; and more than £5.3m worth of new contracts with the NHS.
The results are the best ever for the Innovation Agency, which has been providing a dedicated business support service for the last seven years. The work is part of the overall remit to improve wellbeing, by supporting local economies and bringing innovations into health and care.
The Agency’s commercial team delivers bespoke support to local businesses with health innovations through three European funded programmes – in Cheshire and Warrington; Liverpool City Region; and Lancashire.
They help companies to secure funding from national and international sources – such as SBRI Healthcare and EIT Health. And they introduce businesses to the region with cutting-edge solutions to improve health and care, from around the UK and internationally.
Liverpool-based AIMES won £100,000 from SBRI Healthcare to develop OpenCARE precision diagnostics in cardiovascular care, which will improve patient outcomes while reducing costs.
Dr Dennis Kehoe, AIMES Chief Executive Officer, said: “Health Innovation North West Coast has been really helpful in providing an economic steer and guiding us through the application process and the best ways to present our business case.”
Innovation Agency Director of Enterprise and Growth, Lorna Green said: “The year 2019 to 2020 was phenomenally successful for our economic growth programmes, I am very proud of the results and I know our team are redoubling efforts to support companies to recover and grow despite COVID-19.”
More information and stories about individual commercial success stories can be found in the Innovation Agency’s annual review, ‘Book of highlights 2019-2020’.
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