2021 Business grants described as a 'lifeline' by Norfolk manufacturing company
Gravitilab, based in Badersfield were given nearly ÂŁ25,000 from the New Anglia Growth Hub
Last updated 16th Jan 2022
Grants given out by a business group in East Anglia have been described as a 'lifeline' by one manufacturing company in Norfolk.
Gravitilab, based in Badersfield were given nearly ÂŁ25 thousand from the New Anglia Growth Hub in 2021.
Denise Wroe, the managing director of the Aerospace Service says last year was difficult for the company:
"We were able to continue getting people into the workplace but we did this on a reduced scale. We've got a young team and that causes disruption in terms of management of a fast-paced industry. We also had people having to take time off to isolate due to sickness or because they were travelling".
She also told us the money helped the firm take operations to a new level:
"This particular grant was really important about us continuing to develop our launch services. We offer micro-gravity testing and research in space for organisations and we're developing vehicles that can deliver those services".
"This grant also allowed us to take one of our rockets, called Ada, after Ada Lovelace to Scotland to test it in a launch environment. That really helps speed up our research and development which helps prove our products and helps attract more grants and private investment".
But she concluded by admitting that getting this support wasn't straight forwards:
"Small business are treated in the same as way as large ones that would have the personnel that would be able to dedicate personnel solely focusses on dealing with this. That is a real challenge, we really need those grants but it's a challenge to be able to find the time to do all this. Plus in match-funding its a challenge to find the funds in order to do the work, because you don't get the payment until the end of the fund".