£100,000 grant fund to help businesses adopt advanced wireless technologies
News from River Severn Partnership
The River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) has launched a £100,000 opportunity for businesses and voluntary groups in the Severn Catchment Area to apply for funds from its Wireless Innovation Grant Fund.
Funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and managed by Shropshire Council, this program is part of a wider £3.75m project which aims to encourage businesses and organisations to adopt technologies enabled by advanced wireless connectivity.
Grants of up to £5,000 each are available for businesses and organisations in the catchment area, covering Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Powys, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, to assist in purchasing and installing wireless technologies.
River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region logo
Robert Macey, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and digital, said:-
“Rural connectivity serves as an enabler, providing vital resources and opportunities for individuals, businesses, and communities to thrive.
“The RSPAWIR has its focus specifically on the core sectors of water management, agriculture and the public sector, but developing a better understanding and application of advanced wireless technologies opens up critical access to healthcare, financial services, ecommerce and education – improving quality of life and economic prospects for the region.”
The RSPAWIR is currently supporting innovative ‘use case’ projects with Hartpury University and Cranfield University that will demonstrate how advanced wireless technology can be used to enhance and improve environmental and business outcomes in the agricultural sector as well as for the public.
The universities will work with farmers and landowners in the River Severn Partnership area to show how advanced wireless technologies can be adapted to monitor crops, maintain security and regulate energy usage, and will include a flagship project in partnership with landowners near Telford to monitor and regulate water flow to meet agricultural demands in local rivers and tributaries.
To apply for funds from the Wireless Innovation Grant Fund, eligible applicants must have been operating for more than a year in the core sectors of water management, agriculture, or the public sector. The grants cover up to 75% of total commercial project costs, and 90% for voluntary social enterprise groups.
More than £36 million is being invested in regions across the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to drive economic growth and innovation in key local sectors by unlocking the opportunities presented by advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies.
To apply, complete the application form and send it to matt.smith@shropshire.gov.uk
Further information
The RSPAWIR has been awarded £3.75m from the Department for Science Innovation and Technology and is focused on the delivery of the Government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April 2023. The RSP will look to its key sectors and communities to take full advantage of the transformative effect of using wireless networks to generate value and growth at the local level.
More than £36 million is being invested in regions across the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to drive economic growth and innovation in key local sectors by unlocking the opportunities presented by advanced wireless connectivity and digital technologies.
The Innovation Regions will invest in advanced wireless ‘use cases’ across key sectors of the economy and the benefits this ‘smart technology’ can bring, including transforming public services and growing the economy, making farms, factories, and workplaces more productive and creating better paid jobs. The project aims to generate further inward investment in ‘wireless networks’ and smart technology in the region and the adoption of the opportunities by its key sectors.
