Past Project

MAPSME Plus - Mapping Manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Eastern region and Developing, Piloting and Evaluating a new process of engagement.

MAPSME Plus is project 037 within the Regional Infrastructure for Innovation (RII) programme, a £4.5M HEFCE-funded initiative in the East of England.

The aim of the project is to help businesses develop and exploit innovation opportunities by providing access to the combined capabilities of the region's universities.

MAPSME Plus is a collaboration of three universities in the region with external partners. Two further Higher Education Institutions are involved in a supporting capacity.

Previous work conducted by the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge on behalf of the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) has highlighted the fragmented nature of both quantitative and qualitative information on SMEs in the region making it difficult to both reach and serve current manufacturing needs.

Through collaboration, this project aims to fill these gaps. By addressing the issues raised together we will be able to target the variety of services we offer more effectively; focus on our niches and strengths and prevent duplication of services.

By working with DTI and EEDA funded projects we ensure focus and higher marketing success through reciprocal links.

Objectives

• RII generated database of regional manufacturing SMEs
• Improved channels of access for manufacturing SMEs to our universities
• Efficient access to manufacturing support in the region
• Promulgation of existing tools and strategies and identification of gaps

Infrastructure

• RII Brokering service embedded within DTI/EEDA funded services
• RII Brokering service tested for manufacturing SMEs

Knowledge transfer

• A map of manufacturing SMEs
• Identification of 'needs to innovate' companies
• Networking of service providers
• Identification of further collaboration opportunities

Physical Outcomes

• MAPSME Plus reports and workshop notes
• Database that can be used (with controls) by project collaborators and also as a regional resource for individual researchers
• Ongoing database monitoring and evaluation reports for RII HEIs
• Staff at each institution (Cambridge, Herts and Bedfordshire) who will have gained knowledge in 'support of brokering' which can then be shared with other RII collaborators
• SMEs who experience business benefit from dealing with the region's universities

Contact Information

Dr Elly Philpott
E: erindors@ntlworld.com