The Aura Innovation Centre: funded support to help local organisations work towards net zero targets
Established in 2019 by the University of Hull, the Aura Innovation Centre is the Humber’s leading net zero centre, helping organisations – and particularly SMEs – to bring their low-carbon projects to life through innovation and collaboration. We asked operations manager Sarah Clark to describe the support Aura provides.
“When businesses think about seeking funding for projects to help them reduce their carbon emissions or produce more sustainable products or services, the focus is often on obtaining grant funding,” said Sarah.
“It’s not unusual for businesses to think money is the only answer or the best answer to these questions – and of course, many organisations will need to make investments at some point to achieve their carbon reduction or sustainability goals.
“But in a funding landscape that’s constantly changing, focusing only on seeking direct grants means organisations may miss out on the wealth of funded support available to them. That’s what Aura offers, and it can be invaluable in helping local businesses identify and exploit opportunities and overcome challenges as we move towards a low-carbon economy.”
Aura’s focus is on green innovation through collaboration, linking industry with the expertise and research power of the University to help turn the low-carbon ideas of local businesses into reality.
It also works closely with the economic development teams at local authorities both north and south banks of the Humber to ensure businesses in the region have access to joined-up support in this area, maximising the impact of what’s available.
So, what can organisations expect when approaching Aura for support?
“There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach to innovation,” said Sarah. “Every business is different – their needs are different and so are their opportunities for growth or improvement.
“Our starting point is to carry out a diagnostic process – some deep digging into the business to understand its needs and challenges and identify where there may be scope for it to become more sustainable.
“That might end up being through more obvious measures such as reducing carbon emissions, saving on energy costs or improved waste management or recycling – but it could also be through increased digitisation, new product development or process or materials engineering.
“Once we’ve identified opportunities for innovation we can provide support directly through Aura, or connect the business to expertise at the University or through other partners.
“If an organisation already has an idea for a low-carbon project and needs help in taking it forward, we can help with that too – for example, by one of our innovation team members becoming an extension of your team as you develop it, or through access to our InventX innovation space, which has equipment to help you get your idea off the ground.”
Aura’s website contains case studies from across a range of sectors that demonstrate the breadth and depth of support it has already provided to organisations across the region.
Sarah concluded: “As we move close to a decarbonised economy and more businesses seek ways to become more sustainable, we’re looking forward to helping them thrive.”
Visit the Aura Innovation Centre website to find out more about the support, expertise and facilities it offers. Sign up here to receive the Aura newsletter and to hear about forthcoming Aura events, including its free quarterly networking sessions.