CSI Exchange is a series of practical workshops for SMEs, start‑ups & alumni businesses, delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Innovation.

The session covers stakeholder mapping, sustainability impact frameworks, and practical project design, alongside insights into funding pathways and common challenges.

Through interactive exercises, attendees will learn to develop projects aligned with industry needs, net zero priorities and scalable impact, enabling them to move from research ideas to impactful, collaborative initiatives.

The workshop will run from 9:30am-12:30pm, participants are invited to stay on at 12:30pm for a light lunch.

Facilitator: Dr Silvia Tedesco, Associate Professor for Sustainability

Dr Silvia Tedesco is the Associate Professor for Sustainability at the Salford Business School’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation. Silvia has around ten years' academic experience with extensive scientific research focused on using biomass and waste organic materials to produce the energy, fuels, and chemicals for which we are currently over-reliant on non-renewable resources. Silvia is an active member of a number of BBSRC’s Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy (NIBBs) and her research has also featured significant involvement with SMEs, having collaborated with companies in Ireland, Italy and the UK. She has secured grants from a number of bodies in the UK and Ireland (e.g. Science Foundation Ireland, BBSRC, Innovate UK, EPSRC via SUPERGEN Bioenergy Hub) and she is keen to collaborate on grant proposal submissions to further advance the art in biomass and waste conversion and valorisation using circular and decarbonising approaches.

What is CSI Exchange?

CSI Exchange is a practical knowledge exchange workshop series delivered by the Centre for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Salford.

Designed for SMEs, start‑ups, alumni businesses and CSI affiliates, the series brings together academic expertise and real‑world practice to support sustainable growth, effective leadership and digital capability.

Each workshop focuses on practical tools, usable frameworks and shared learning, helping businesses navigate uncertainty, develop confident leaders, design impactful sustainability projects and build resilient strategies for today’s fast‑changing economy.

Sessions are led by University of Salford specialists alongside experienced external practitioners, creating space for open discussion, peer learning and immediate application.

Whether you are scaling a business, embedding sustainability, strengthening leadership capability or adapting to digital change, CSI Exchange offers accessible, insight‑led support for small and medium‑sized enterprises.

You can explore the other workshops in this series through the CSI Exchange series collection.

Description supplied by the event organiser.