Information for Businesses

Taking Wales to the World... and the world to Wales


How will this help your Business?|

Finding the time to undertake detailed R&D:

By identifying a specific business research project, problem or innovative idea that requires further, intensive exploration we will help you to recruit a highly qualified graduate to take this research forward, on a full-time placement basis; ensuring your company develops its R&D capability and cutting edge thinking.

Share the costs of R&D:

Companies can work in partnership, whether formal or informal, with one or several others as a cluster or consortium to support and take forward the research project.

Spread your workload:

We are happy to consider and support multiple business R&D projects over the 3 year period.

Diversity supports innovation:

By recruiting some of the best international graduates to be placed directly within your business, your company can increase its innovation capacity. It is clearly proven that companies with diverse, internationally skilled teams are more innovative and thereby more profitable.

Increased profitability:

We only support R&D projects that we believe will achieve commercial results for your company; such as increased investment and increased profitability, whether through new patents, new products, new processes and technologies, or the creation of new spin-out firms or cost centres to pursue the commercialisation opportunities.

Innovation Leadership:

Senior directors and managers of participating companies can join the University of Wales’ Global Academy innovation network. Providing access to innovation courses, residential programme and networking events including free membership of the prestigious MIT Industrial Liaison Programme in the USA.

BuildingGPBWIBannerKeyBoard

Is my Company Eligible?|

Where are you based?

POWIS is open to any company in Wales, but additional funding support may be reliant on location. 

Too big, too small?

All businesses, whatever their size, are eligible. We are particularly keen to help SMEs, including new start-ups and those who have been trading less than 3 years.

My business isn’t innovative:

UW Global Academy wishes to work with any company that has or needs new ideas; with any company that can see the benefit of working with new, diverse thinkers who may challenge their conventional approach to business or to their industry; with any business that recognises recessionary periods are exactly the right time to increase its R&D activities; and any businesses that regards the ‘Credit Crunch’ as an opportunity to innovate and not as a threat.

Blue sky thinking or technical marketing?

Your POWIS project can cover any aspect of your company’s research and development needs. Ranging from intensive lab based studies to testing the feasibility of a new internal process or service through detailed market research.

Which industries?

We work in all industries and all sectors of the economy, apart from the public sector; ranging from high-technology start-ups to social enterprises. In line with Welsh Assembly Government policy we are particularly keen to support companies working in the these overall sectors:

  • Low carbon economy

  • Digital economy

  • Health and life sciences

  • Engineering and advanced manufacturing

Part-funding is available for:

  • Companies (or clusters of companies) with an office in the convergence area of Wales

  • Companies wanting to improve their products, process, or services

  • Companies that want to create new intellectual property and commercialise it

  • Companies that need a dedicated, fresh thinking team member to work on an idea

  • Companies that have a project or collection of projects that will last for three years

  • Traditional commercial companies, social enterprises and voluntary sector organisations

What does it mean for the scholar?

We ask a lot from our scholars: They are expected to be based with their host company in Wales on a full time basis and use the outcomes of that time to complete a PhD. It has to be a mutually beneficial agreement, with the company and the scholar both getting the greatest possible advantage from the programme.

TakingWWWWBannerSolarCell

How much does it cost?|

Costs to each participating company are flexible depending on whether co-funding is available from the public sector partners. Past projects have been part-funded by European Regional Development Fund and the University of Wales as well as private sector partners.

The average annual cost of each POWIS project is £40,000.

This includes the costs of:

  • Scholar annual stipend

  • Scholar research grant

  • Academic supervision

  • Project management support from Global Academy Innovation Fellows

  • Free membership of the Global Academy innovation network: including innovation courses, residential programmes and innovation network events

  • Support from senior University of Wales research staff

  • Free membership of MIT Industrial Liaison Program (usual cost $60KUS per annum)
What is the Process of Applying?|

Timescales:

It normally takes 2-3 months to go from identifying a company R&D project to recruiting the global team to start your research project. However we always respond quickly to your commercial needs as time is precious, and we are flexible and happy to approve your POWIS project and wait until exactly the right time for your company to start the project.

We can sometimes fast-track your proposal within 2/3 weeks depending on the nature of your proposal and how well developed it is when we meet you for the first time.

The table below shows the key milestones in applying for and starting a POWIS project:

POWISApplicationStepsGraphEnglish680wide 

Support and guidance:

From the moment you contact us our specialist, industry trained project managers will guide you through applying and developing your POWIS project; from providing analysis to help you refine your R&D needs, to identifying the best industry experienced thinkers in academia to support your research, through to advertising and recruiting the brightest scholars, worldwide, to complete your new POWIS innovation team.

How to Apply?|

To apply or to discuss your innovation idea either:

 

 

 

In: Global Academy

|