Entrepreneurs can bid for up to £50,000 from Northwest Vision and Media (NWVM) to boost their competitiveness.
NWVM's Regional Attraction Fund (RAF) aims to help companies already based in the region and ones looking to move here. Enda Carey, head of games and digital content, said that 2009 is the fourth year that the funding has been offered.
Last year, the NWVM contributed £6.48m to the region's economy by investing in 50 companies and creating 51 jobs.
She said: "The fund was originally established with the clear and precise aim of developing the independent television sector in the north west, by providing financial support to both indigenous and incoming companies.
"Just as the TV sector has expanded, however, so too have the region's other creative industries, which is why we now also offer RAF support to the region's film, games, interactive and digital content sectors.
"RAF funding has always been backed up by the highest quality advice and mentoring, and that's a legacy we certainly intend to continue into 2009-10."
Since January 2006, NWVM has assisted 87 SMEs in the north west, with combined revenues of £10.4m.
The organisation provides two different kinds of support. Its company development strand provides grants between £5,000 and £50,000 for high-growth companies looking to develop their infrastructure, to access new markets and significantly expand the scope of their operations.
Its product development strand provides grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 for the development of broadcast TV, computer games, electronic publishing, e-learning, mobile content and web-based applications. Bidding is open until March 2010. Further information at www.visionandmedia.co.uk/raf.
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