Science in Industry Research Centre

SIRC is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), so to be eligible for support your business should be based within one of the four sponsoring LEP areas:

• Black Country
• Greater Birmingham and Solihull
• The Marches
• Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

Your company must also qualify as an SME. Detailed conditions apply, but in summary the company must have:

• independent ownership
• fewer than 250 employees
• turnover of less than €50 million per annum.
  
  

The aim of SIRC is to support businesses, within the following eligible sectors, to develop new science based products and processes:

• Life sciences
• Translational medicine
• Future food processing
• Agri-food/drink
• Agri-tech
• Advanced engineering
• Advanced manufacturing.

Get Started
To register your interest, contact the SIRC project office at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park. 

Check eligibility
The project office will check your eligibility and advise on whether your project fits the SIRC criteria.

Business support
We will work with you to define the scope of the possible support.

Business assist
SIRC consultants will complete the initial work agreed on behalf of your business. Our consultant’s work is fully-funded, and grant support may be available towards the costs of IPR filing.

Research collaborations
Businesses undertaking scientific projects with high potential will have the opportunity to enter into a SIRC research collaboration, enabling a greater scale of research and innovation support. A financial contribution will be required from your business at this stage.

We have our own dedicated FabLab based in the Science Centre at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park. The FabLab houses an extensive range of equipment to support prototyping activities, such as:

• 3D printers
  • Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
  • Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)
  • PolyJet Polymer hi-resolution printing
  • Micro 3D printing
• Photo Grammetry Laser Scanner reverse engineering
• Laser cutter - plastic, vinyl, wood, aluminium
• CNC table router – wood and polymer sheet
• CNC mini mill.

SIRC focuses on three scientific disciplines:

• Polymer engineering
• Life sciences
• Biotechnology 

Scientists from these disciplines are being supported through SIRC to direct and supervise interdisciplinary research programmes.

Regional SME companies are supported to engage as partners in collaborative research.

To transfer the new research and knowledge into the business community, publications and case studies will be disseminated.

Businesses can attend SIRC events in order to learn more about the research being completed, as well as updates on progress and findings.