Made Smarter funding for region's manufacturing businesses set to double
A boost has been given to advanced manufacturing SMEs in the East of England with the news that the Government has agreed to double its funding for the Made Smarter Adoption (MSA) programme.
The scheme will deliver funding, impartial advice, a roadmap from digital specialists, and leadership and management development programmes to upskill workforces. Norfolk County Council will also be responsible for delivering and processing 48 match-funded grants delivered up to £20k.
A successful pilot has seen the council lead a £1.2m programme in 2025/26, supporting more than 88 SMEs in the region with digital support and roadmaps for implementation, leadership and management, organisational change. Funding for a £2.4m programme for 2026/27, with the potential for a significant increase in future years, has now been confirmed - subject to Government funding and performance.
Norfolk County Council's cabinet agreed receipt of the funding and to the council being the accountable body for the programme when it met on 5 January 2026.
The East of England Made Smarter Adoption Programme Board is made up of upper tier local authorities from Bedfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, and is led by a Chair and Deputy Chair from industry, working closely with local authorities, academia, Make UK and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
Dr Jamie Thums, Chair of Made Smarter Adoption East of England said: "On behalf of the East of England Team, I am absolutely delighted with this award to further fund Made Smarter Adoption. As a result, we can extend the support for manufacturing SMEs across the region who seek to embrace digital technologies and create performance gains - essential to improving overall productivity."
Read the full release on the Norfolk County Council website
Published: 6 January 2026
