Business support in England🔗

Business Support Service🔗

Not region specific, but worth a mention. The National Business Support Service is a key element of the UK Government's business support provision in England.

It’s available to businesses at all stages, and of all sizes, providing answers to basic queries, signposting and business improvement advice. If you need additional support, you can arrange a free one-hour phone appointment to discuss your business needs in more detail.

Visit: https://www.gov.uk/business-support-service or call 0800 998 1098.

Innovate UK Business Growth🔗

Likewise, Innovate UK Business Growth (previously Innovate UK EDGE) offers a UK-wide service. If you’ve begun trading, have up to 500 employees, and are keen to start and scale in the UK and internationally, then they can probably help.

Working closely with your leadership team, a dedicated Innovation & Growth Specialist will help you identify the most productive ways to accelerate your growth.

Innovate UK Business Growth also offers the Scaleup Programme for enhanced support, the Global Incubator Programme and the Global Business Innovation Programme.

Visit: https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/business-growth/ or call 0300 123 3066.

Creative UK🔗

Creative UK operates across the UK, but the team are dedicated to helping creative and digital businesses in the North East thrive. They offer multiple opportunities for mentoring and structured support, including initiatives like the North East Create Growth Programme. Creative UK also offers funding opportunities, including debt and equity investment through the North East Investment Fund, North East Shared Success Fund and other funds.

UMi Sat Nav🔗

I may be biased here, but UMi has built a comprehensive platform – the UMi Sat Nav - to help businesses at every stage navigate their journey. UMi Sat Nav makes it easier to find and use the best information, expertise and finance. You can sign up for free to access:

• Finance & Funding – Find eligible business support, grants and loans. These are updated constantly and you can even receive notifications on funding opportunities that are relevant to you!
• Advice & Connections – Speak with an adviser who is ready to listen.
• Tools & Resources – Take action with 100s of guides and templates, when it suits you.
• Events & Learning – Join webinars, campaigns and events for top tips and inspiration.
• Deals & Discounts – Unlock offers from trusted partners worth over £1,000.\

Visit: https://www.umisatnav.co.uk or call 0330 124 7305.

North East region🔗

RTC North Ltd🔗

RTC North Ltd helps organisations with all stages of innovation and the intellectual property (IP) commercialisation process.

Scale-up and growth businesses may be able to access specialist programmes such as Scaleup North East and Innovate2Succeed. Market research, technology transfer, commercialisation and export support are accessible through the Innovate UK Edge service. Charges may apply for some services, depending on the nature of the project and region.

Visit: https://rtcnorth.co.uk/ or call 0345 208 0740.

Space North East England🔗

Space North East England (Space NE) offers one-to-one support and partnerships to unlock market opportunities within the North East.

Whether you’re already in the space and satellite sector or have the potential to enter it, the cluster aims to help businesses to exploit the use of satellite data, technology and applications to gain a competitive advantage in a global market. If you have a business which may form part of the sector supply chain – such as AI or advanced materials – make sure to head along to an event to explore the opportunities for your business.

Visit:https://www.spacenortheastengland.com/ or call 0174 062 5250.

Northumbria University🔗

Northumbria University Newcastle offers a variety of support to help your business become more successful. This includes opportunities to access consultancy and research, facilities and equipment hire, recruitment of students and graduates, business clinics and events, and upskilling you and your employees. Some services may be chargeable.

Visit: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/business-services/

Teesside University🔗

Building partnerships with local and global organisations of all sizes and sectors, Teesside University can support you with research and development, innovation, consultancy, knowledge exchange, start-up incubation, mentoring, graduate placements, training, leadership development, events and professional education support.

Visit: https://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/business/

Flok🔗

Down the road from Teesside University and a stone’s throw from the train station, Flok powered by Alt Labs, is much more than a co-working space. With frequent events by Barclays Eagle Labs, home to Tees Valley’s Forge Programme accelerator, and a host of ambitious tech start-ups as residents, the space is a great starting point for founders and investors looking to get a foothold in the region. Pair a morning coffee meeting at Flok with a membership to the Tees Valley Business Club, and you can tick off your business development activities for the quarter!

North East Combined Authority area🔗

North East BIC – BIC StartUp🔗

Offering free tailored support at every step, BIC advisers support people from across North East England to unlock the freedom that comes from self-employment. Support is available from pre-start up to 12 months of trading.

Visit: https://www.ne-bic.co.uk/starting-your-business/ or call 0191 516 6111.

TEDCO🔗

TEDCO offers start-up support for individuals and early-stage businesses in Durham, North Tyneside, Gateshead and South Tyneside.
Visit: https://tedco.org/programmes/ or call 0191 516 6102.

PNE Enterprise🔗

PNE Enterprise offers business courses, workshops and one-to-one support designed specifically for new businesses and entrepreneurs in Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside.

Visit: https://www.pne.org/ or call 0191 691 4901.

North East Growth Hub🔗

A single point of access to an expansive network of business and finance support for trading businesses in the North East Combined Authority area that are looking to grow.

Its website features toolkits and the ability to book local face-to-face support provided by a team of Growth Hub Connectors, who are experienced business advisers.

Visit: https://growthhub.northeast-ca.gov.uk/ or call 0191 561 5468.

Scaleup North East🔗

Aimed at businesses with an appetite for fast growth, Scaleup North East provides bespoke support delivered by a diverse team of Partners who have successfully scaled and exited their own businesses.

Acting as a coach, mentor, consultant or trusted advisor, Scaleup Partners work at a strategic level, offering insight, providing challenge and identifying opportunities that will address issues, build foundations for growth and unlock potential.

Visit: https://scaleupnortheast.co.uk/ or call 0345 208 0740.

SWEF Enterprise & Business Start Up Fund (Durham & Tees Valley)🔗

This grant of up to £500 is available to young people aged 18-30 in County Durham and Tees Valley who are in the early stages of setting up their business and need funds to take their business to the next level.

The grant can be used on: Materials/stock, equipment, prototypes, marketing eg leaflets, training or services you need to get your business running.

Visit: https://pointnorth.org.uk/grants/swef-enterprise-business-start-up-fund/

Sunderland Software City🔗

Sunderland Software City provides tech businesses with access to advice and support through innovation, skills and a range of business support services. Businesses can also access a range of events and latest industry insight.

Visit: https://www.sunderlandsoftwarecity.com/ or call 0191 716 6636.

Durham City Incubator (DCI)🔗

Available to ambitious start-up businesses with high growth potential across County Durham, this programme is designed to equip you with the skills you need to make sure your new venture thrives.

The programme runs in six-month cohorts with two tracks available - the general DCI programme (which is not sector-specific), or the Fintech/Digital accelerator (which is designed to support businesses in the fintech sector that may be developing an app, cutting-edge digital platform, or offering Software as a Service (SaaS)).

The programme is delivered through bootcamps, one-to-one support, mentoring sessions, tech expertise, sector specific workshops, seminars, networking events, and offers access to shared workspace in Durham at a reduced rate.

In addition to this support, participants can also apply for a start-up grant of up to £2,500 to invest in their business, and innovation loans up to £7,500.

Visit:https://dcincubator.co.uk/about/ or call 0300 026 9223.

START UP Founderships🔗

Newcastle University's annual six-month business pre-accelerator helps new and recent graduates to launch ambitious, growth-orientated companies.

Visit: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/careers/startup/founderships/

Tees Valley Combined Authority area🔗

TVCA Business Solutions🔗

The Business Solutions team helps ambitious businesses and budding entrepreneurs in Tees Valley to grow.

Using strong local links, the team can start conversations, make connections and introduce you to local networks and partners to help get you where you want to be. Access tailored one-to-one support and join funded programmes, workshops, events, and much more.

You can also get support to understand the finance and funding options which might be available to unlock your growth potential.

Visit: https://teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/business/business-growth-support/ or call 0132 579 2600.

Tees Valley Expertise🔗

A programme helping Tees Valley-based small or medium-sized businesses to develop and grow through tailored one-to-one advice on areas such as productivity, scaling up and sector specific issues.

The programme offers masterclasses, the opportunity to collaborate with peers, and support with exploring apprenticeship opportunities to promote job creation.

Support is fully funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Visit: https://teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/business/expertise/

Tees Valley Innovation Challenge🔗

Designed for small and medium-sized businesses based in Tees Valley, this programme offers the opportunity to take part in innovation challenges from larger companies. You’ll collaborate on product and service development and could be eligible for grant funding between £1,000 and £10,000 to develop innovative solutions.

You’ll receive one-to-one advice and guidance from sector specialists to help overcome current challenges, training in the design process when creating effective product solutions, and you can attend local networking and other events.

Support is fully funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Visit: https://teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/business/innovation-challenge/

Funding🔗

And what to do when you’ve started your business and looking for funding to scale? Thanks to British Business Bank’s Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), capital is becoming more accessible. NPIF II is managed in the North East by Maven Capital Partners, who can make equity investments up to £5m through the fund, and NEL Fund Managers who can invest business loans up to £2m, in addition to their other funding options.

The North East is home to many more regional venture capitalists (VCs) and innovation organisations that can invest in specific sectors and areas, such as UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE) and Centre for Processing Innovation (CPI). An increasing number of London-based funds are also willing to make the journey up to the area to discover good deals – particularly innovative companies in Net Zero and Advanced Manufacturing, which we do particularly well in, given the region’s geography and history!

Angel investors have been woefully underrepresented in the North East, so we set up the Northern Investor Hub, a free-to-join investor community open to angel investors, syndicates, early stage VCs and debt providers to coordinate the ecosystem and share deal flow. We’re also working with the UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA) to help identify, encourage and educate potential and beginner investors – who are normally business leaders or exited founders themselves.

As an Investor Partner with Innovate UK and Cluster Manager for Innovate UK’s Launchpad for Digital Technologies, we also help ambitious companies apply for R&D grant funding for highly innovative projects, and help them raise aligned investment to align with their grant awards.

With so many options, our Innovation Managers and Investor Relations team at Innovation SuperNetwork and UMi are always happy to have a conversation to help point founders in the right direction of the right investor. We can help you prepare for conversations – from pitch deck to data room – to close the deal and make your funding journey as smooth as possible.