Skip to content

Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

Strengthening UK supply chains – supporting businesses to innovate, grow and compete globally

Scaled support for your business 

All NCC's services can be scaled to meet the needs of business across the supply chain. ​

UK SMEs can take advantage of additional support and advice through our​
Engage > Discover > Transform process. ​

Some of our SME services are free – and we can also help fund your ambitions through grants, match funding, and other mechanisms.​

Profile image
Get in touch

Connect with our specialists to find out more about our innovation capabilities and how we can support your business.

Contact Us

Engage

Our free Engage service helps you connect with the right people, support, and opportunities to move your business forward. We work with you to open doors, build relationships, and help you take the next step.

Signposting

We can connect your business to the wider Catapult network, national support schemes, and local partners.

Supply chain connection

We can help identify and link your business to others with the right capability or need.

SME Affiliate Scheme

Our own members network includes access to training, events, and a £1,000 voucher to kick‑start your project with NCC.

Discover

Our free discovery support helps you better understand your business challenges and identify opportunities for improvement. We work with you to explore ideas and define clear, practical next steps.

Site visit

We'll walk the factory floor with you to identify opportunities for improvement.

Discovery workshops

An in-person or online session to shape your early ideas with our specialist engineers.

Technical support

Access quick and informal support calls with our engineers to help resolve a technical challenge.

Transform

Our Transform support service helps you turn ideas into reality and drive meaningful change within your business. We work with you to develop, adopt, and embed new solutions that improve performance and accelerate growth.

Innovation projects

Co-develop products, processes or materials – reducing risk and getting to market faster.

Adoption projects

Support to embed lean, digital and sustainable practices – driving productivity and emissions reductions.

Training

Upskilling your teams through off-the-shelf or tailored training – at NCC or on-site.

Funding

Our funding support helps you access the financial backing needed to move your projects forward. We guide you through available opportunities and support you in securing the right funding for your business.

Learn more
Scaling craft production with confidence

GingerBeard’s Preserves secured a Made Smarter grant to invest in a semi-automated depositor designed specifically for 40–50g jars. It integrates with the existing setup and replaces the manual piston-funnel work that had been holding production back.

Learn more
Our Impact
Engineering confidence into clean energy innovatio

Solar Capture, a specialist in photovoltaic innovation, partnered with NCC to get help to turn a smart concept for an integrated solar roof tile into a viable product for the UK housing and infrastructure sectors.

Learn more
Our Impact
Discovery workshops

Our dedicated SME team helped UK SME Limosaero Ltd unlock the potential of their Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) design concept through a low-cost rapid development route to manufacture of a product demonstrator. The UAV was used in a world-first outdoor ammonia sensor mapping demonstration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

More
Our Impact
SME Support

We've helped UK SME Adaptix Ltd extend their medical imaging expertise into non-destructive testing for aviation.

Learn more
Our Impact