The Product Design Engineering (PDE) department at the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Glasgow has witnessed a substantial growth in graduate business start-ups during the last ten years. This paper sets out to explore the contrasts, advantages and disadvantages of support and funding that can be gained from the Private and Public sector. Case studies will demonstrate how one company has been supported through Private funding and support, and another that has received this primarily from the Public sector. Further to this, the paper will also offer the experiences of Product Developer and Public funding Advisor and for recent graduates, the Product Design Engineer in Residence Scheme.
This paper does not set out to cover all aspects of public versus private funding, for example complex issues of tax, R&D benefits are not covered. It is a first attempt to explore the experiences of those in receipt of funding, those responsible in making the decisions.