EEDA - East of England Development Agency

Suffolk strummers win share of £400k to test their bright idea

6 November 2009

A pair of entrepreneurs from Kennett (near Newmarket) have won a share of £400,000 to help bring an innovative new guitar – which will be easier to play and sound better than ever before – to the market.

The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) has announced today that 29 companies across the region will receive Proof of Concept funding to hone all sorts of ideas for new products and processes. Projects include new techniques for art restoration, an innovative new smoke alarm and a tracking system for missing persons at sea.

Kennett–based Sabre Guitars Ltd received over £10,000 to test the commercial potential of a highly innovative new range of electric guitars which not only showcase groundbreaking aesthetic and acoustic design, but also feature cutting-edge technology never before seen in musical instruments.

Christian Howes, creative director of Sabre Guitars Ltd, said:

“The guitar industry really hasn’t had to innovate for the last 30 years – it’s rested on its laurels in some respects because sales are traditionally driven by ‘image’ rather than quality. But at Sabre, we believe passionately that we’ve developed something unique, musical instruments of true British quality, real versatility and unrivalled playability that will excite and inspire guitarists like never before. EEDA’s grant will allow us to hone our product and find the areas that we can really exploit in what is a huge potential marketplace.”

Trevor Conway, EEDA’s business finance manager, said:

“Despite the recession, there are still ambitious entrepreneurs out there trying to bring new products to the market. EEDA’s Proof of Concept funding is there to give entrepreneurs a head-start; to really identify gaps in the market and how they could adapt their projects to fill those gaps.”

“We have actually seen a distinct rise in applications for EEDA Proof of Concept funding in this latest round – a real testament to the ambition and resilient nature of businesses across the East of England, the UK’s ‘ideas region’.

EEDA are now accepting proposals for the next round of Proof of Market funding (new name for the Proof of Concept fund), with the deadline for applications at 5pm on Friday 8 January 2010.

Visit www.eeda.org.uk/finance for more information and to download an application form. 

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