N-GAMA PROJECT

The project will support advanced manufacturing businesses within the North East Local Enterprise Partnership area (Sunderland, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle, Durham, and Northumberland).

The N-GAMA programme will benefit up to 40 eligible enterprises engaged in process, product and service innovation within the advanced manufacturing and PEMD sectors, strengthening and accelerating the North East’s adoption of digital technologies.

It will deliver business innovation advice through initial diagnostic support followed by grant investment in research, development and innovation projects targeting the region’s advanced manufacturing sector.

Eligible companies can access innovation support leading to investment in digital technologies that help companies become more competitive and differentiated, through providing new levels of customer experience, new and innovative product, and service revenue streams, as well as improvements in productivity, higher product quality and cost reductions.

A range of grants will be available for businesses and eligible costs could include:

• Purchasing of equipment such as plant, machinery and other capital equipment
• Marketing plans (including market research, strategy or operations)
• Website development and ecommerce
• Streamlining business processes, CRM & ERP Systems
• Digitisation and data visualisation
• Energy monitoring systems
• Warehouse or stock management systems
• Knowledge transfer and research and development costs
• Specialist consultancy support

The grant will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and is open for new applications until January 2023. N-GAMA is open to SMEs only and will offer grant support of up to 40% for research and innovation projects, with an expectation that businesses will fund the remaining 60% of eligible project costs.