Plus X presents BRITE – a new £5 million funded innovation programme for local businesses to grow and bring their ideas to market

Plus X Brighton – an innovation workspace – partners with the University of Brighton to launch BRITE (Brighton Research Innovation Technology Exchange) designed to support local businesses to grow and ‘drive job creation’ post-lockdown.

BRITE is a three-year collaborative project which has received up to £5 million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

The programme is primarily open to businesses based in Sussex and the South East (Coast to Capital LEP) but those outside the region will also be considered. 

BRITE is aimed at accelerating business growth, boost employment and help attract and retain talented people in the area.

Applications are now open for businesses interested in developing innovative products or services.

SMEs will need to be able to demonstrate ambitious growth plans and meet eligibility criteria.

Chosen applicants will receive grant funding, office space at the new Plus X Brighton hub, specialist advice, tailor-made mentoring and peer-to-peer support, access to product research and development services, partnership opportunities plus a monthly invite to virtual masterclasses and workshops.

Successful BRITE members will also benefit from the University of Brighton’s impact-focused  innovation tools and programmes, developed by the University’s Centre for Change, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (CENTRIM).

The Plus X Brighton space includes precision CNC milling machines, laser cutters, UX test suites, electronics laboratory, image, video and podcast studios.

BRITE will bring £10.5m worth of support to more than a hundred small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) via the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and property regeneration specialists, U+I plc.

Richard Upton, Chief Development Officer at U+I, said: “The launch of BRITE at Plus X Brighton could not be more timely – these businesses are fundamental to our country’s economic recovery after COVID-19 and the Plus X model not only helps them scale-up, but also sparks local economic activity, catalysing the vital regeneration of communities and places that have been left behind.”

“Innovators often achieve early-stage growth at trailblazing speed but the path to scale with pace can slow significantly without good guidance” says Mat Hunter, Co-CEO at Plus X. “The BRITE programme is a fantastic opportunity to support business based in the Coast to Capital area and help them grow. For the past five years, we have built a successful innovation space and accelerator programme at the Central Research Laboratory in Hayes. We will draw on our existing experience, whilst blending our new team expertise and partnership with the world leading research from the University of Brighton, who have decades of experience working with SMEs in Sussex, unlocking unrivalled growth opportunities for our BRITE members.”

Interested businesses can register their interest in BRITE via HERE or email hello@briteinnovation.co.uk for more information.

Apply NOW

Image Copyright – Plus X (by Jim Stephenson)

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