Wood Products Innovation Gateway (WPIG)

Image kindly supplied by Peter Wilson, The Wood Studio, Edinburgh Napier University

The Wood Products Innovation Gateway (WPIG) is an ERDF and Scottish Enterprise funded project within The Wood Studio at Edinburgh Napier University. The WPIG project supports SMEs in Scotland to develop a range of new added value wood based products, processes and construction systems. The project aims to raise the value of the forest resource in Scotland.

Supported by ERDF, Forestry Commission Scotland, ConFor and Wood for Good the project team engages with Scottish architects, engineers and construction industry specifiers.  This is done through several channels, including workshops, seminars, conferences and lectures introducing new products and addressing common topics related to timber construction.

Over the 36 months of the project, it will engage with more than 600 Scottish-based SMEs with a view to identifying ideas that can be taken through initial appraisal, full research & development and testing; and on to commercial production. We intend to engage with a minimum of 20 new research networks (e.g. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships) and to target an equivalent number of commercially viable uses for Scottish grown timber.

Funding Available

Two programmes both of which can provide small funding packages (up to £5000) are available for  SMEs  to start initial pieces of work with researchers. The programmes are principally aimed at building new relationships between Scottish based SMEs & Universities; and need to demonstrate an innovative and/or product development element. The work undertaken - and results obtained - will ideally then be able to demonstrate the potential to move to a longer term project able to bring in further external funding. For example, through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership or a fully funded research or commercial project.
The two funding programmes are (1) SFC Innovation Vouchers and (2) BIE Innovation Vouchers; and the funding can generally be released with the company contribution as "in-kind" support, rather than any cash element.
Further information is available from:
Mr Alastair Stupart, FPRI Assistant Director
a.stupart@napier.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)131 455 2831

Two programmes, both of which can provide small funding packages (up to £5000) are available through The Forest Products Research Institute at Napier Univesity, for  SMEs  to start initial pieces of work with researchers. The programmes are principally aimed at building new relationships between Scottish based SMEs & Universities; and need to demonstrate an innovative and/or product development element. The work undertaken - and results obtained - will ideally then be able to demonstrate the potential to move to a longer term project able to bring in further external funding. For example, through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership or a fully funded research or commercial project.

Further information is available from:

Mr Alastair Stupart, FPRI Assistant Director

a.stupart@napier.ac.uk

Tel: +44(0)131 455 2831

WPIG Contacts

Contact Andy Leitch (a.leitch@napier.ac.uk) for more information on suitable projects or Claire Goncet (C.Goncet@napier.ac.uk) for information on events or to arrangein house CPD.