Fashion brands and textile manufacturers based in the Leicestershire region may be able to access grant funding and support via the PROSPER project.

The PROmoting SME Product Enhancement and Research (PROSPER) project supports SMEs who wish to improve existing products or develop new products, processes and services.

Businesses must be based in Leicester & Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership area (LLEP) and be engaged in the general area of one of LLEP’s priority sectors, which include the creative industries and textile manufacturing.

PROSPER is managed by The iNet and based at Loughborough University, and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

It aims to make it easier for SMEs to accelerate their development and implementation of new products, processes and services, as well as working with UK research institutes. The programme will operate until March 2023.

The support includes a mixture of financial Support: part-funding (grant) towards external costs of innovation and product development projects; and non-financial support: fully funded access to expertise at Loughborough University.

Find out more at www.the-inet.org.uk/projects/PROSPER/

Find other sources of funding and support for UK fashion and textiles here.