Services to support innovation
Business innovation support from Nottingham Trent University, the University of Derby and the University of Nottingham, backed by EU funding.
What the D2N2 Ecosystem is
The D2N2 Ecosystem brings together the research, facilities and business expertise of three universities in the Derby, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire area. Its purpose is simple: to help businesses of different sizes turn ideas into products, processes and services that can be sold.
Support is offered on the basis of need rather than sector. A manufacturer testing a new material, a food producer looking at packaging, and a start-up building a software tool can each find a point of entry through the same network.
Side note
The programme is delivered jointly. Each university contributes its own specialist facilities and academic staff, so a single enquiry can be routed to the right people without the business having to approach each institution separately.
Support available to businesses
Innovation advice
Confidential discussions about a business problem, an opportunity or a product idea, followed by a clear view of the options.
- Initial diagnostic conversation
- Routes to funding and partners
- Written summary of next steps
Collaborative projects
Joint work between a business and university researchers, often using shared equipment and academic time to test an idea before major investment.
- Applied research and development
- Prototyping and testing
- Knowledge transfer with clear ownership terms
How an engagement develops
Step 1
Enquiry
Contact the team with a short description of the business and the challenge you face.
Step 2
Scoping
Advisers identify which university expertise, facilities or funding route fits the project.
Step 3
Delivery
Support is agreed in writing, with defined outputs, and delivered by the relevant university team.
Places where work happens
Projects can draw on laboratories, workshops and digital resources across the partner universities. Access depends on the nature of the work and is arranged case by case.
EU funding and eligibility
Parts of the programme are supported by European Union funding. Eligibility depends on business location, size and the type of activity proposed. The team will confirm whether a project qualifies before any work begins.
Funding is subject to availability and to the programme rules in force at the time of application. Check the current position with the team before planning a project around it.
Common questions
Businesses based in the region served by the partner universities are the main audience. Start-ups, established firms and social enterprises may all be eligible, subject to the funding rules.
Some initial advice is free. Where a project is co-funded, the business contribution is agreed in writing before work starts. Full details are provided at scoping.
Ownership of results is set out in the project agreement. The aim is to make terms clear from the start so that both the business and the university know what they are entitled to.
Next steps
To explore support, describe your business and the problem you want to solve. You can also read more about the expertise available across the partners, or look at how innovation management support is structured.
For related programmes, visit the services overview or