Contact us to discuss your current situation and we’ll signpost you to the support available to you. We are the place to come for all your business support needs.
All of our support is free of charge. Complete an enquiry form now.
About Us
The LLEP Business Gateway Growth Hub is a one-stop-shop for business support in Leicester and Leicestershire, providing signposting, funding information, events, advice and more.
Research shows that businesses which access support grow faster. Our network of delivery partners are experienced in helping businesses gain investment and training from a wide range of local and national development programmes.
Supporting local SMEs
The Business Gateway Growth Hub was established in 2014 to help local businesses access the resources they need to succeed.
Ambitious businesses often do not know how or what to access from the ever-changing local and national business support services on offer. This reduces potential growth.
The Business Gateway is a trusted source of guidance and advice for businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire, helping them choose the support they need to develop further.
We supported more than 1,500 small businesses in 2021/22. They had a combined turnover of more than £2.2 billion. We also helped hundreds more startups to launch.
Our work includes:
- A signposting service directing you to relevant and timely business support
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Introductions to partners providing loans, grants, and alternative funding options
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Help with routes into exporting and international trade
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Support for businesses aiming to innovate to increase their productivity.
- A rolling programme of events from ourselves and others
Bringing leaders together
Our Board brings together public and private leaders from across Leicester and Leicestershire to ensure that our work reflects the needs of local businesses.
As well as members from the Board of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) it includes senior representatives from all three of our local universities.
It also features senior figures from local business, as well as Department for Business and Trade (DBT), East Midlands Chamber, Federation of Small Business, British Business Bank, CBI, and Institute of Directors.
In addition, the Board has representatives of Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, and local district councils.
Ways we can help you
1
Government funding for small businesses
Pressures in the global trading environment can be challenging for SMEs to navigate. Increased operating and energy costs, interest rate rises, and more expensive imported materials all add to day-to-day pressures on local businesses. We'll let you know about advice and support during these critical periods - including joining up and coordinating Government programmes locally to get funding where it is needed fast.
2
Increasing business productivity
Competitiveness is improved when businesses increase their productivity. We work closely with central partners, such as Innovate UK, local universities, Made Smarter and others to help businesses access market insights, finance, design, and intellectual property advice.
3
Helping businesses with exports
We work with partners in local and central Government to reach local businesses who have the potential to trade internationally. As well as offering local SMEs free advice, we use our network to access no-cost support packages such as free access to the Santander Navigator portal. Our signposting helps both new and experienced importers and exporters to diversify into new markets abroad and increase sales.
4
Creating better jobs
By working with local employers, we support them with accelerating leadership, management and workforce skills. We signpost to programmes offering training, internships, and apprenticeships needed to equip the leaders of the future, develop talent, and shape adaptable workforces. This helps businesses to create better jobs and progression, making them more inclusive and benefiting their local communities.