Six innovative York-based businesses have been successful in their applications for SMART awards from the DTI, after receiving vital support from Business Link North Yorkshire.

Business Link North Yorkshire innovation and technology adviser Roger Benson, front, centre, outside the Arabesque House headquarters in York with, from left to right, back row, Dr Ashley Wilson, of Carafiltration Ltd, Professor Klaus Muller-Dethlefs, of Applied Spectroscopy Research; front row, David Waggott, of FireTrak, Dr Julian White, of Cellutions Ltd, Dr Paul Zanelli, of Pattern Computing, and Mark Varey, of York Nutritional Laboratory

Applied Spectroscopy Research, Carafiltration, Cellutions Ltd, FireTrack Ltd, PatternComputing, and York Nutritional Laboratory, all received assistance from Business Link North Yorkshire Innovation and Technology Adviser Roger Benson in the preparation of their respective applications.

This means that over the last 16 months Business Link has helped 16 businesses across York and North Yorkshire to receive SMART awards totalling £1 million.

Applied Spectroscopy of New Walk Terrace, York, will use its award to study the feasibility of a novel, non-invasive method for the measurement of substances, particularly blood sugar in the human body.

Meanwhile, Carafiltration, based at York University, is using its SMART grant to investigate the application of a novel bio-absorbent material to the treatment of a range of contaminants in waste water.

Mr Benson said: "The SMART scheme is designed to promote innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises and for the businesses that I have assisted, the money has provided a tremendous boost towards development of new products and services."

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