Guide · Funding
Made Smarter grant for AI: what North East manufacturers can claim
Made Smarter Adoption North East offers small and medium-sized manufacturers free workshops and expert advice, up to £3,500 towards expert technical advice, and grants of up to £20,000 covering up to 50% of new software or equipment. It is for manufacturers only. AI projects in the office, such as order handling, quoting and reporting, can qualify if they are part of your digital plan. Figures are from the Tees Valley Combined Authority announcement of April 2025, so check the current amounts with your Growth Hub.
Who can apply
- Small and medium-sized manufacturers with a site in the North East Combined Authority or Tees Valley Combined Authority area.
- You register through Made Smarter, and the local delivery partner is chosen by the postcode of your main manufacturing site (find yours).
- Retailers and service businesses don't qualify for Made Smarter. If that's you, your local Growth Hub is the place to ask about other funding.
What you get
| Support | What it is | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Workshops | Digitalisation strategy, lean thinking and process mapping, and change management | Free |
| Expert advice | One-to-one technical advice, including a business case and adoption plan | Up to £3,500 |
| Implementation grant | Towards new software or equipment, once the workshops are complete | Up to £20,000, covering up to 50% of the cost |
Which AI projects fit
The programme funds digital technology that makes a manufacturer more productive. In our experience the AI projects that fit best are the ones in the office, where the paperwork is:
- Triage of the enquiries inbox and drafting of quotes from your own price lists.
- Order handling: reading purchase orders and keying them into your system, with a person checking each one.
- Supplier chasing and delivery updates.
- Plain-English reporting over data your ERP or MES already produces, read-only.
- Maintenance logs turned into a schedule.
Work on the plant floor itself (sensors, PLC or SCADA, machine vision, robotics) needs a systems integrator. We don't do that work, and we'll say so.
How it works in practice
- Register with Made Smarter and attend the workshops.
- Get expert advice to build your digital roadmap and business case.
- Pick the projects in the plan, get quotes, and apply for the implementation grant.
- Deliver the project, then claim the grant against the agreed costs.
Whether a given cost counts as software implementation or as expert advice is the grant officer's decision, so confirm it on your application before you commit.
How we help manufacturers using Made Smarter
Niddy's AI Audit costs £1,495 fixed, takes five days with minimal client time, and carries a guarantee: ten times the fee in estimated annual value identified, or the fee back. For businesses applying for funding, the audit includes a grant deliverables pack: the plan, the business case and the costs, in the shape a grant application needs. After that, we can deliver the build on a fixed six-month term with monthly milestones, so it reads as a project with a clear end date.
Manufacturer in the North East? Ask us whether your AI project fits Made Smarter.
or email hello@niddy.co.uk
Questions we get asked
How much is the Made Smarter grant?
In the North East, up to £20,000 towards new software or equipment, covering up to 50% of the cost, plus up to £3,500 for expert technical advice. Figures from the April 2025 announcement; check the current amounts with your Growth Hub.
Can a retailer get Made Smarter funding?
No. Made Smarter is for manufacturers. A retailer that also manufactures its own products may qualify for the manufacturing side; ask the delivery partner.
Does Made Smarter fund AI software?
It funds digital technology that improves productivity, which can include AI software, as part of the plan you build in the programme. The grant officer decides what qualifies.
Who delivers Made Smarter in the North East?
Made Smarter Adoption North East is delivered with the North East Growth Hub and Tees Valley Combined Authority.