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7 key advantages of R&D for small business
Discover different ways to leverage research and development to improve products and services, and boost your business.
Advantages of innovation
Benefits of innovation in business can include efficiencies, growth and increased competitive advantage, as well as enhanced reputation
Strategy for research and development
How research and development should fit into your overall business plan
Internal research and development
How to carry out internal research and development and leverage the benefits of keeping research in-house
External research and development
How to outsource your research and development and the benefits of commissioning it externally
Research and development - investment and risks
How to weigh up the possible risks of research and development against the potential benefits
What is research, design and development?
Stay ahead of competitors by carrying out quality research, design and development in your business
Managing the design process
Understand the steps you should take when trying to turn an idea into a product
Eliminating ideas that are not viable
Understanding when a product will not be viable is important to prevent wasting time and money
Exploring your ideas
How to innovate and develop your business ideas
Commercialisation options for your invention
Three straightforward ways of getting your invention to market: manufacture and sell yourself, license it or collaborate with another business
Science parks
Support and benefits of science parks, including technology transfer and business incubation
Support for protecting your ideas
Get professional help from intellectual property advisers, a patent attorney or a trade mark attorney to protect your intellectual property in an invention
Find manufacturers to build a prototype
Sources of information on product designers and manufacturers who can help you develop your invention
Support for product safety and testing
How to arrange product safety assessment, and where to find testing laboratories, services and product certification in the UK
Support for developing your ideas
Where to get help to develop new product ideas if you're looking to manufacture, market, sell or license your inventions
Start a sales forecasts
How to use last year's sales as a starting point for your forecast of next year's sales to help manage your business more effectively.
Understanding social value in public procurement
What social value is in public sector procurement, how you demonstrate it in a tender submission and what resources are available to assist your business.
Record-keeping best practice
Good record keeping habits and the "four S" approach: system, separate, security, storage.
Purchase ledger
What to record in a purchase ledger to keep track of how much money you owe.