Do you have a great idea for a tech startup business, or do you already run a tech business in Cornwall? Perhaps you’ve got a plan to create technology to improve healthcare? Or maybe you’ve got an idea for a bot that communicates satellite research easily?
Whatever your business idea, finding funding for firms – especially those with niche ideas – can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to go. If you’re based in Cornwall, there’s a wealth of funding and advice available for businesses in the tech sector.
Find out why Cornwall is the best place to start and grow your tech business with this list of the best places to get support and funding to help you turn your ideas into reality.
1 Software Cornwall
We’re Software Cornwall – connectors and supporters of Cornwall’s digital tech community. If you need to be signposted somewhere or catch up with news and updates on what’s happening in the industry, we’ve got that covered. We can help with advertising your job and getting your message to the right candidates. If you’re a member, we’ll promote your business and services as well as connect you with the tech community at our regular events.
We work collaboratively with our members and the community to develop and deliver innovative new skills development models for employees and create accessible career pathways into Cornwall’s Tech Community, ensuring we have the skills we need to build and grow our tech community.
Find out more below about the fantastic support available in our community for tech businesses…
2 Aerospace Cornwall
Aerospace Cornwall is aimed at supporting Research, Development and Innovation in the county by encouraging local businesses to work with research institutions as well as take advantage of national programmes that can promote their products to a wider market. This means if you have a great idea to develop a product within the space and aerospace sector – then Aerospace Cornwall could help you fund it.
3 Francis Clark
An accountancy firm in Cornwall that is committed to helping businesses of all shapes and sizes get access to grants – apparently one of the most overlooked sources of business income. In April 2018, Francis Clark held its inaugural Start Up Cornwall event, focused solely on showcasing the range of funding available for startups. The company’s website is a font of free information with access to experts in finance.
4 CIoS Skills Hub
CIoS Skills Hub is an independent, impartial and free service offered to businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The Skills hub can signpost companies to everything from funding to marketing, helping them bring their business ideas to life.
5 Foot Anstey
One of the country’s top 100 legal firms and proud of its South West roots, Foot Anstey are a full service law firm with a focus on the Tech industry. Well known for their expertise on complex licensing in the FinTech, Clean Tech, Retail Tech and Transport Tech fields their team has a wealth of knowledge and experience. This is the company to look up if you’re planning a transactional technology project. Their technology practice host regular technology sector roundtables, which bring together leading technology businesses in the region.
6 EPIC
EPIC eHealth is a fantastic project for health technology SMEs in Cornwall and Scilly who are looking to start or grow an eHealth business. Besides free sector-specific business support, there is access to experts in research areas essential for developing eHealth products and services. You’ll also get full guidance and support in applying for their EPIC Challenge Fund, which is worth £600,000
7 Unlocking Potential jobs
This is the place to go if you’re a business looking to expand with enthusiastic individuals. This group has created around 1300 jobs in more than 800 businesses in Cornwall over the last decade. It’s their aim to find the perfect professionals to work at innovative companies. So if you’re in the market for the perfect employee, they can point you in the right direction.
8 Smartline
Smartline are an exciting research project here in Cornwall that supports SMEs to create ways for digital technologies to improve health and wellbeing in the community. It’s linked to a number of industries from data and IT to communities and wellbeing. Visit the website to find out if you’re eligible.
9 Radix communications
It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. This is what Radix has perfected; getting your message out to the wider world with flawless copy. They’re B2B technology copywriters, with each member of the team having a different specialism, which means all your needs will be covered. They’ve worked with more than 60 brands like Dell, Oracle and Xerox and they don’t cost the earth. Click here to find out more.
10 Niddocks
Niddocks are an online marketing agency that works with businesses of all sizes. They will tailor their services to suit you with a team that’s been given Google approval to work to best practice and industry guidelines. Their experienced professionals can provide guidance and advice on how to make your business stand out in a crowded online marketplace.
11 Being Agile
Like the name says, this firm specialises in being agile. They provide customised coaching and training for businesses to help you empower your employees by adopting agile practices. Having an agile business strategy has been proven to optimise performance, deliver better customer service and create a happier workforce. Get in touch and email: [email protected]
12 Cultivator
Cultivator are a charity that helps support creative tech businesses with any aspect that you may need to grow. They’ve got advice on grants and internship programmes with expertise from professional creatives and business development experts with oodles of experience.
13 Superfast Business
So, you’ve heard that digital technologies will help you grow your business, but you don’t know where to start? This is where you start. But hurry, the service is funded by the European Union and only available until March 2019, so check if you’re eligible.
14 Transform
The Transform project provides business coaching to help you transform and grow your business through tailored workshops and support from experienced coaches. They’ve worked wonders with over 600 companies in Cornwall including Frugi and Buttermilk. Give their website a look to see if you meet the eligibility criteria.
15 Goonhilly Enterprise Zone
Now, wouldn’t this be a pretty cool address to have? Goonhilly Earth Station wants to create a thriving business community at its site, and is offering low (sometimes zero rates) as well as other incentives for basing your business there. This is for any business that wants to lease a building, office or even just to hot-desk.
16 Launchpad
Launchpad is a great programme for anyone who wants to be part of a successful tech startup. Launchpad is part of Falmouth University and works with big names like Sony and the BBC to find tech gaps within their markets and then create businesses to fill those gaps. It recruits software engineers and developers to be business directors and also gives them £16k (tax-free) and a masters degree in entrepreneurship once their startup’s launched.
With all this brilliant support, Cornwall has a variety of growing tech industries like ehealth, aerospace, space tech, games and agri-tech – among others – and a culture that’s very open to collaborative and agile working, which means it’s ready for the future of business.
And after reading all this, if you’re still asking yourself why this southwest county is at the forefront of research, development and investment in technology? The answer is it’s in our DNA. Cornwall’s history is rich with stories of creativity and engineering innovations. This is explained very nicely on our YouTube channel, by the people behind Hi9 who design and create bots for businesses.
(oh and while you’re on your channel, don’t forget to hit ‘subscribe’!)