News

2024 MIT Research & Development Conference – Fostering Bold Ideas to Breakthrough Innovation

As a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Industrial Liaison Program (ILP), Welsh Government is able to facilitate an opportunity for a small number of Welsh businesses to attend a 4/5-day mission to MIT to join the 2024 Research and Development Conference taking place on 19 and 20 November. 

2024 MIT R&D Conference Brochure

Skills for Work

Cardiff and Vale College has launched a range of fully funded numeracy-based courses supporting organisations and individuals in the Vale of Glamorgan. Financial skills in work and life are vital, so whether you are self-employed, managing a team or working with budgets in your role, CAVC can help. 

Small Business Saturday

Each year Small Business Saturday runs a national roadshow that travels the length and breadth of the UK.  The Tour will return again this November to spotlight and support small businesses and their communities and mark the official countdown to Small Business Saturday on 7 December 2024. The tour will visit Swansea on 20 November 2024. 

The Regional Skills Partnership

The Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs) for the South East and South West Wales are collectively gathering information on basic and advanced digital skills needs in order to identify the skills gaps and shortages faced by employers. They are calling on employers to share their views.

Would you like help to become a dementia friendly organisation? 

Support is available for any business, organisation or community group in the Vale who would like to take simple actions to become more dementia friendly, and to achieve ‘Working to become Dementia Friendly’ recognition.

Becoming dementia friendly can be beneficial for your organisation, even if you don’t work face to face with customers.  A better understanding and support for people with dementia can also help to support your staff.  

For more information and to get started, please contact: dementiafriendly@cardiff.gov.uk or mutting@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk 

Academic Industry Partnerships

You can now register your interest in the Cardiff Capital Region Academic-Industry Partnerships Programme, an exciting opportunity for high-potential businesses like yours to unlock ambitious new growth opportunities by partnering with Academic expertise.

Led by the University of South Wales, in collaboration with Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University, the programme will facilitate the development of new or improved products, services, technologies, or processes, fostering innovation and economic growth within the region via targeted funding. For more information on the programme and its goals, click here.

If you would like to express an interest in engaging with the programme, please complete the Expression of Interest form here, or contact a member of the team at cdgp.aip@southwales.ac.uk

Innovation Net Zero

Innovation Net Zero supports Wales’ most innovative businesses to develop and commercialise novel net zero and circular economy solutions. The programme offers fully funded support worth up to £5,000 and £10,000 dependent on the local authority. Participating businesses will benefit from the expertise of innovation specialists Innovation Strategy, multi-national BT and local sustainability experts Afallen. Support offered by the partnership includes tailored business coaching, workshops, networking opportunities, access to BT’s innovation labs, support to raise funding and more.  Find out more: 

Clean Growth Innovation Network

Vale of Glamorgan-based businesses and third-sector organisations can access fully-funded support designed to help them drive innovation and boost sustainability from May 2024, thanks to new funding secured by Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC)

The Clean Growth Programme is fully funded for eligible organisations and gives participants the tools they need to develop their circular economy understanding, helping them work towards Net Zero goals, enhance service levels, reduce operational costs and meet their responsibilities under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. 

The programme also supports organisations to boost innovation, developing clean growth plans that could be eligible for Welsh Government innovation funding.

In response to growing demand from businesses, eligibility for the 2024 intake has been expanded to include private-sector companies for the first time. 

Expression of Interest and Application Form