Both funds offer vital support to small and growing businesses and will play a pivotal role in strengthening opportunities for new innovations and green jobs, particularly in high-potential sectors such as clean energy.

Over £980,000 is to be provided to businesses and education organisations in the East of England, courtesy of Freeport East's two new funds.

Both funds offer vital support to small and growing businesses and will play a pivotal role in strengthening opportunities for new innovations and green jobs, particularly in high-potential sectors such as clean energy.
The Freeport East Clean Growth Fund offers financial assistance to local businesses operating within clean energy and Freeport East's other target sectors, such as green hydrogen, agritech, engineering and digital. Recipient businesses for the Fund include:
• MKC Rail, a Clacton-based railway engineering specialist working to develop more efficient and innovative materials for use in rail projects
• Acer Resources, a fast-developing vertical farming firm based at the University of Essex in Colchester
• Rux Energy, a developer of breakthrough materials for green hydrogen storage, deploying a pilot of its technology at a Harwich site, while also partnering with regional universities to build industry partnerships and develop graduate-level green hydrogen skills
• Automotion works on deploying Artificial Intelligence to decarbonise diesel engines from its base in Felixstowe
• Versatile RobotX, based in Colchester, is developing ECOFARM, affordable fruit-picking robots for use on farms in Tendring and the wider East of England
• Insight Energy Renewables based near Ipswich is delivering new commercial models and technologies to support Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure for commercial customers and fleets
• Revolve Labs is developing enhanced healthcare training for the NHS, utilising VR and innovative technology from its base in Stowmarket
• University of Suffolk will also run a specialist programme to support a range of local innovators to grow their businesses and attract new investment funding
Alongside the investment funding provided, Freeport East will support Clean Growth Fund businesses to expand their market opportunities and link them into wider networks of universities, funders, and supply chains. In addition to building new relationships with international markets, Freeport East is working closely with local universities to strengthen their business interactions. Each of the businesses supported will also be creating a number of new job opportunities and apprenticeships.
The Freeport East Innovation and Skills Fund focuses on building access to innovation and skills opportunities, particularly in underserved communities and in sectors relevant to the Freeport East area, such as clean energy, logistics and trade. Recipients of funding support include:
• A consortium of further education providers, led by Suffolk New College, who will provide a range of specialist skills support across the Freeport East area, designed to support learners of all ages into future opportunities in growth sectors
• Road to Logistics helps to attract new talent into the transport and logistics sectors, particularly by focusing on individuals who need specialist support to enter the industry
• MENTA provides business and innovation support for enterprises and SMEs, and will include digital and trade-related businesses in their new programme across the Freeport East area
• Reboot Education offers alternative education for children aged 7 to 16, focusing on IT and computer science qualifications
• Stempoint will organise workshops for the energy sector aimed at students in years 6-8 including in Harwich and Felixstowe
• Aspire Education provides mentoring provision for year 12-13 students and will focus its support in Tendring
From Tendring and Babergh to East and Mid Suffolk, the Funds are aimed at sectors with the potential to develop stronger local economic clusters, requiring skilled people and highly productive and innovative businesses. This includes clean energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced logistics, educational advancement and agritech - all sectors crucial to the region's long-term economic resilience and competitiveness.
Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East, said: "Investing in local businesses and growing our workforce is investing in the future of the East of England. The funds not only empower entrepreneurs to advance clean energy and technological developments that will create new economic opportunities for our region, but will also ensure that our local workforce is equipped with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving economic landscape.
"By investing in these high-impact sectors, we're not only supporting local businesses but also setting the stage for a future where our region is at the forefront of high value sectors that build on our local expertise, such as clean energy, trade, agritech and digital."

Ivan Henderson, Deputy Leader of Tendring District Council and Freeport East Board member, said: "The allocation of these funds shows Freeport East's commitment to supporting the growth of local businesses and organisations. This initiative will not only stimulate economic development but also create new opportunities for innovation and skills enhancement across the region, including Tendring, where our businesses and sector potential can drive our local economy significantly."

Rachel Eburne, Mid Suffolk District Councillor and Director of Freeport East, said: "By aligning this support with wider freeport initiatives, such as the new skills and innovation centre at Gateway 14 in Stowmarket or the Green Freight Corridor initiative running from Felixstowe to the Midlands, we can create more opportunities for our local businesses and people to excel in new sectors of the economy."

For more information about Freeport East visit here.