Spotlight on support: Eco-I North West

Boost is a funded business support service that helps Lancashire business owners and leaders navigate the business support landscape to find the right support for their business. Our Business Support Spotlight series highlights the wealth of support listed on Boost’s Support Hub and available to Lancashire businesses. Today’s spotlight shines on Manchester Metropolitan University’s Eco-I North West.

How do you help Lancashire businesses?

We support businesses in their quest to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through innovation. Lancashire business can access fully funded support (Only cost to SME’s is time) to:

Reduce the carbon intensity of your day-to-day operations
Reduce the carbon intensity of your products/services
Develop new, low carbon products/services

Why do Lancashire businesses need your support?

At Manchester Metropolitan University the project is delivered in partnership between the Business School and the faculty of Science and Engineering. The business school lead on the project and are providing support on business model innovation and design thinking, with the Science and Engineering team delivering insights and support on emerging, clean technologies. Including:

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell technology
Anaerobic digestion
Smart infrastructure
Industry 4.0 and Additive Manufacturing, including utilising recycled plastic feedstock
Dual fuel combustion and emission reduction technologies

How are you helping Lancashire businesses overcome the economic challenges of coronavirus?

‘Going Green’ has to be an economic argument as much as it is an environmental one. We’re not set up in the wake of Covid-19 but we’ve adapted to deliver triple accredited support to businesses to reduce it’s impact on the environment, whilst also looking at making the business waste less and ultimately save more to be more profitable.

What are the other key challenges for Lancashire businesses at the moment?

This year will see COP26 come to the UK and the environmental and social impact of business has never been higher on the agenda. The UK is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050 and some regions, including Greater Manchester, are bringing that date forward to 2038.

Reducing the carbon intensity of your operations is key to future proofing your business and with carbon taxes on the horizon, now is the time to identify ways of reducing the environmental impact of your business.

What’s the future for the Lancashire economy?

Better. Greener. More Resilient. Eco-I is holding a Q&A webinar on September 15, 2021 where delegates can learn more about the programme. To find out more and register for the event please see our events section: Explore ECO-I North West: Q&A session

Boost can help Lancashire businesses navigate the local, regional and national public and private sector business support landscape to find the right support for their business. Call 0800 488 0057 or complete our quick form and a member of the Boost team will be in touch to start your growth conversation.