
Made Smarter has launched a £3 million digital adoption push to drive growth in East Midlands manufacturing SMEs and help them boost productivity.
Made Smarter East Midlands Digital experts will provide advice and support to manufacturing businesses on how to switch to advanced and automated technologies. The programme provides digital transformation road mapping, leadership development, grant funding and access to industrial digital technology expertise to help with implementation until 31st March 2026.
Made Smarter East Midlands is delivered by the Lincolnshire County Council on behalf of the East Midlands Cluster.
Start your digital manufacturing journey
Our Digital Transformation Specialists engage with each eligible business to understand how Made Smarter can support their digitalisation journey. Made Smarter East Midlands offers the following wide range of fully funded support to the region’s Manufacturing SME.
Digital Road Mapping – Working with you to create a digitalisation plan for your business, including an initial implementation plan detailing immediate next steps and support we can offer to help to get you on your digitalisation journey.
Access to fully funded impartial Industrial Digital Technology Advice (IDTA). This is external impartial consultancy support to answer your questions and provide trusted advice.
Helping leaders develop the critical skills required to “Lead Digital Transformation” for their business. This is done through our Leading Digital Transformation Programme aimed at CEOs, MDs and Owner Managers. This offering is fully funded and free of charge.
Five Short Technical Training Courses, fully funded free of charge, in the following subjects:
Introduction to MRP and ERP Systems
Introduction to CRM Systems
Business Process Improvement for Manufacturers
Transforming Manufacturing Efficiency
Cybersecurity for Manufacturers
Fully funded HR Consultancy Support in the following topics;
Organisational Design
Cultural Change Management
Values & Behaviours
Teamworking
Talent Management
Succession Planning
Employee Engagement
Employee Performance Measurement and Management
Digital Internships - Giving you access to students from the region’s six leading Universities to undertake focussed Internship projects. The Internship timeframes, scope and scale are flexible to meet the needs of your business. Internship wages and National Insurance contributions are fully funded.
Made Smarter East Midlands offers a leadership development programme focussed on equipping leaders to lead the digital transformation of their business. Programme details are as follows
3 Month programme
6 Bite-sized workshops
Peer group cohorts of 12 Manufacturing leaders – All leading digital transformations
Content covers:
Leadership challenges of digitalisation
Managing digital change
Digitalisation strategy
Sprint methodology for implementation
Up to 50% match funding (Maximum of £20,000 per company) is available for equipment and/or specialist advice to implement Industrial Digital Technology (IDT) projects in the following disciplines;
Additive Manufacturing (3D printing)
AR & VR
Big Data & Analytics
Cognitive Computing & AI (machine learning)
Data & Systems Integration
Industrial Cyber Security
Internet of Things/ CPS (sensors, Barcode, QRCode, RFID, NFC, bluetooth etc)
Mobile Devices & Wearables