THE University of Brighton is sharing in £67m Government grants aimed at driving forward university commercialisation across the country.

The university will be leading a £3.5m Connecting Innovation for Clean Growth project which will link three ‘clean growth’ business networks, including the university’s Green Growth Platform.

Funded by Research England, the Green Growth Platform was launched in 2014 to drive growth in the environmental business sector in Sussex by providing business support, innovation and R&D support, events and skills development.

The university will now lead on the creation of Clean Growth UK which will extend across the country and higher education sector.

It will link small and medium-sized enterprise innovators to specialist university expertise and connect them to large public and private sector organisations through innovation events and demonstration projects.

The University of Brighton will be working with the universities of Portsmouth and Liverpool John Moores on the project.

Professor Debra Humphris, University of Brighton vice-chancellor, said: “We are delighted to be playing a part in driving clean growth and innovation in business – essential if we are to combat the pressing environmental challenges facing our planet.

“The university’s leadership of Clean Growth UK is a reflection of the hard work and commitment invested by colleagues throughout the university and, in particular, those involved with the Green Growth Platform and research and enterprise.”

Zoe Osmond, director of the Green Growth Platform, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to join forces with some of the leading clean growth business networks in the UK, and to create enduring links between the University knowledge base and 4,000+ dynamic and innovative low carbon, environmental businesses.”

Brighton’s is one of a number of university-led projects which complete the Government’s £100m funding to support universities in helping deliver its Industrial Strategy.

Some 54 higher education institutions will be collaborating with each other and with businesses and investor networks.

More than 12 different local enterprise partnerships will benefit.

The projects are attracting more than £322 million of additional investment from universities, businesses, investors and other partners.