The Keele Research Innovation Support Programme (KRISP)*, which supports innovation in Staffordshire SMEs, passed an important milestone in August 2017 when third year Keele politics and international relations student Joe Tutty was named as the 100th Research and Development and Innovation Associate.

Joe’s placement through KRISP offered him the opportunity to develop a marketing strategy for business start-up Sustainability Smith, which provides environmental consultation.

Every project is different and the programme managers at Keele take care to match business needs with right person to give each company support to innovate.

The programme is free to eligible businesses and provides one or two Research, Development and Innovation and Associates backed by an Innovation Advisor and a Business Engagement Manager as well as access to the wider expertise of Keele University.  

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent businesses can benefit from a full range of specialist support and funding. Interested companies should contact Keele University’s Business Gateway on 01782 733001 or business.gateway@keele.ac.uk.

*The KRISP project (ref: 32R16P00711) is part-funded from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds England Growth Programme 2014-2020.