Innovation Voucher Scheme

Directory of Service Providers

Please find a table below detailing approved knowledge transfer service providers for the InCrops Innovation Voucher Scheme.

If you're an SME in the East of England and interested in the scheme, please contact us for more information and to apply. 

Providing strategic advice

InCrops works with companies to develop and commercialise technologies for biorenewables. We also engage directly with our partners - leading academic and research organisations with exceptional expertise in the discovery and development of plant derived materials, products, and technologies. This enables us to keep abreast of the latest innovations, developments and next-generation technologies that could give a significant competitive advantage to companies and public bodies.

Through its working relationships with these innovative organisations, InCrops is extremely well placed to provide advice on current and emerging technologies and analyse the expertise available to support strategic innovations and secure future competitiveness.

As well as supporting companies, InCrops is being commissioned by public bodies and forward-thinking companies to carry out the horizon scanning or assessment of particular technologies.

The focus of this work is delivering independent advice to support the UK Government in relation to its activities supporting bio-renewables in the transition to a low carbon economy.

Our work for government under five key headings:

• Strategic advice on how to increase and improve knowledge and technology transfer between academia and industry and support entrepreneurship
•  Technical advice on the financial and carbon merits of certain types of innovation
•  Horizon scanning to inform government on the potential for innovation and business activity in specific sectors
• Delivering expert input to develop policies that will address the barriers for innovation and growth in the bioeconomy
• Inputs into policy development 

Examples of this work include:

• The House of Lords inquiry into innovation in EU agriculture. InCrops submitted evidence to this inquiry in October 2010, which was looking into how the rate of innovation, adoption and exploitation of research could be increased within European Agriculture. In March 2011 the proposal was submitted which recommended the development of a transnational innovation network for European agriculture built on a partnership between knowledge, business and government partners. The InCrops submission was published in the European Commission’s report, ‘Innovation in EU agriculture’ in July 2011. 

• Algal Research in the UK, for BBSRC. A report for the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). This report included the assessment of current and past algal R&D in the UK and internationally, discussed potential opportunities for algal R&D, explored gaps in algal research value chains, and assessed the R&D required to promote the development of an algal economy.

• The Algal Roadmap for the UK, commissioned by the Algal Bioenergy Special Interest Group funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and technology Strategy Board (TSB). The roadmap, authored by InCrops, highlights the strengths of the UK science base, gives a snapshot of UK and global algal industries, and presents an overview of trends and opportunities for algae–derived products and services. It assesses the potential to capitalise on these markets, and projected timelines for commercialisation are projected.  The report highlights key barriers and drivers and will be used by funding bodies in the future to establish criteria for future competitions.

• PAS 600: a guidance document on standards and certification for bio-based products, commissioned by the UK's business standards body, British Standards Institute (BSI). InCrops worked as a technical author on the development of the PAS 600, which will enable UK SMEs with technology in bio-based products to attract investment, aid technology adoption, and grow in size.

• InCrops is a member of the UK technical committee on standards for bio-based products feeding into the work of the CEN (European Committee for Standardization) and has a vast experience of working with companies developing and adopting bio-based products. This guide is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Working Groups

In order to enable the group of InCrops partners to apply their world-class skills and capabilities in a way to support the development of business-driven innovation clusters in the East of England, InCrops has set up four Working Groups to accelerate knowledge transfer and collaboration between academia and industry.

The InCrops Working Groups bring together several InCrops partner organisations. These Working Groups were set up back in 2010 to:

• Develop a better understanding of the expertise available at partner organisations;
• Raise awareness about funding for applied, collaborative work;
• Develop collaborative projects involving academics and businesses;
• Provide Pathways to Impact by increasing business engagement in innovation.

The following Working Groups are currently in operation:

• Biomaterials - biopolymers, natural fibres, and biocomposites;
• Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy - bioenergy, biorefining, and algal techniologies;
• Phytochemicals - phytochemicals for health, cosmetis and crop protection;
• Agriculture and Horticulture - alternative feedstocks in growing media, soil amendment products, and energy efficiency in glasshouses and hydroponics.

Thematic priorities

In addition to these Working Groups, InCrops set up a number of thematic priorities for 2013-2015. Based on partner expertise and interests, InCrops team identified the following areas to serve as focal points for interactions between different partners and businesses:

• Biomass for energy and high value products;
• Biomaterials – wood, biopolymers, biocomposites, cork, biomedical applications;
• Employability & skills, entrepreneurship, interaction between students and businesses.

Innovation Vouchers Scheme

Information for service providers

InCrops holds a directory of approved service providers to enable SMEs to choose an appropriate expert for their project. If you would like your business to become a listed service provider, please contact us.

InCrops can list service providers that are specialists in Knowledge Transfer and Commercialisation from the following sectors:

• Biobased materials
• Biobased chemicals
• Algal technologies
• Sustainable agriculture
• Creative industries

To be eligible, service providers must demonstrate their expertise and experience in carrying out projects with SMEs that: 

• are located in the east of England
• lead to increasing the innovation potential of the businesses;
• lead to the development of a novel, market led product, service or process; and
• facilitate new collaborations

As part of the application InCrops requires potential service providers to outline case studies to showcase their track record with SMEs. Service providers are invited to use images and graphics to convey their message. See the service provider directory form for further guidance and to apply.

More Information