Applications for the Central Research Laboratory (CRL) accelerator programme is open for its 8th cohort – supporting early growth stage ‘product pioneers’.

Backed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and Plus X Innovation Hubs, the six months initiative attracts around 100 applicants per year on average.

This years’ application will see 15 judges initially select 20 finalists to enter ‘phase one’ of the programme focused on customer discovery, before six winning startups are chosen to contine working on product development, investor readiness, commercialisation, and fundraising.

Each chosen startup will receive £5,000 grant plus the opportunity to meet and ‘gain insights from key manufacturers in their sector’.

Past winning product ideas includes, a connected medical device monitoring patient’s symptoms remotely (WarnerPatch), stationary makers spearheading the ‘future of great design’ (Makers Cabinet), and an art tool giving wheelchair users the ability to paint unrestricted (Enayball).

Toby Kress says: “It’s amazing to continue successfully supporting product makers and hard ware pioneers and reflecting on the achievements of our diverse cohort members over the past few years makes me very proud.

“Our accelerator programme is truly unique, offering over 6 months of intense support blending product design expertise, customer research, manufacturing and market understanding. We look forward to meeting the next cohort, which we’re sure will be another exciting collective of talent who are working to creating amazing innovations impacting everyday life.”

Deadline for applying is midnight on 14th March.