Pineapple and potato waste materials among funding winners
27/05/2020
The programme, led by University of the Arts London in partnership with UK universities, is part of the AHRC Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP), funded by the UK Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
From over 80 applications, 13 were shortlisted and provided with one-to-one mentoring, business workshops and training to help develop their initial concepts into fully fledged
business plans. The shortlisted businesses then had to pitch their idea to a panel of industry and academic experts.
The 10 selected for funding also include Chip[s] Board, which has developed materials using potato waste; Blackhorse Lane Ateliers, which is setting up a denim wash lab; and Doppelhaus, a wool supplier.
Professor Jane Harris, BFTT programme director, said: “Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are critical to the economy and critical to the creative sector in particular, making up over 95% of creative businesses in the UK. The Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology (BFTT) SME Research and Development Programme seeks to highlight the value and impact SMEs can have in our sector and on the economy, when provided with the right type of financial support and research expertise.”