Companies in West London are being offered the opportunity to bolster their business by signing up to Brunel University London’s free Co-Innovate with India webinar series, a new programme that will help local SMEs make use of the university’s deep-rooted connections with the country.
Run in partnership with the UK India Business Council, the series includes speakers from both business and academia, and aims to help firms across a number of sectors identify what business, trade and investment opportunities India has to offer.
SMEs that sign-up to the webinar will be offered mentoring and the chance to be considered for further upcoming events, such as bi-lateral trade delegations.
Prof Geoff Rodgers, Brunel’s Vice Provost for Research said: “Co-Innovate is delivering events with India as part of a holistic and integrated series of bespoke B2B events, helping SMEs navigate their way to “a new normal” in health and financial wellbeing matters.
“We are offering free support to SMEs on their “end to end” journey of doing business with India through Co-Innovate, which is an integral part of the wider innovation support programme for London-based SMEs, entrepreneurs and start-ups.
“As an institution Brunel has a proud history of supporting businesses to innovate, grow and diversify locally and internationally.”
The programme kicked-off with a session for the food and drink industry, with further sessions now open to other sectors:
Founded in 2012 and funded by Brunel, the Greater London Authority and the European Development Fund, Co-Innovate is an innovation support programme that aims to stimulate growth for West London-based SMEs by giving them access to the university’s world-class research, facilities and student talent.
West London, where Brunel is based, is one of the most dynamic economies in the world, with international connections channelled through Heathrow airport, the busiest international airport in the world.
With an economy worth £73bn, the area is the UK’s second largest economic powerhouse, generating more business than the country’s second city, Birmingham.
The region also has one of the largest Indian diaspora populations in the UK, making it one of the key gateways through which British and Indian companies can do business.
India has made unprecedented progress in recent years in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) rankings, rising from 142nd globally in 2014 to 63rd in 2019, and the Government of India has set the goal of reaching the top 50 and into the top 25 thereafter.
The country is already the third largest source of direct investment into the UK, and it is expected that West London will be a beneficiary of tighter trading ties between the companies in the coming years.
Launching the programme, Prof Julia Buckingham CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President at Brunel, said: “The work our students and academics do for companies is not a matter of them just trying out things or undertaking abstract exercises, rather they are applying their skills and know-how to projects that will lead to bottom-line enhancements for those businesses.”
She added that events such as Co-Innovate with India are: “an important part of supporting our strategy where we continue to expand our already significant global reach, further raising our reputation as one of the world's pre-eminent international universities.”
For further information on Co-Innovate, please visit: co-innovate.brunel.ac.uk
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