“Whilst the words and acronyms may seem off putting, the reality is exciting,” said Patricia Hewitt, DTI Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce.
Announcing the UKISHELP programme for the new fund, the Minister expressed her wish to see an overall increase in awareness of the available opportunities and in due course, a substantial increase in successful UK applications for funding. The DTI-funded organisation, UKISHELP, is designed to ease access to the IST Programme for UK SMEs.
The IST funds will be made available under the EC’s 5th Framework Programme, designed to promote industrial competitiveness.