Home Boost Business Lancashire logo

£7.2m Boost for business growth in Lancashire

boost_launch 2
Lancashire’s largest ever business support programme aimed at growth-hungry businesses is now under way. Boost Business Lancashire (Boost) is the name for the new £7.2m Lancashire Business Growth Hub, which has been developed by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Boost aims to grow the county’s economy by £20m, create at least 1,200 new jobs and safeguard 700 more by 2015.
 
The service will be delivered through a partnership between Lancashire County Council, Community & Business Partners, LancasterUniversity, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire (Regenerate), University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and Winning Pitch. £3.6m of funding has been provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Edwin Booth, chairman of the LEP, said: “Lancashire's ambitious and inspirational business leaders hold the key to growth in the county.
 
We want to help them take control of business growth by bringing together firms with high growth potential and giving them the tools needed to realise their ambition.

“Whether a business has specific growth plans or not, the business support landscape for growing businesses is complex and quite often business owners and directors don’t know where to turn. “We’re aiming to provide a unique service that allows decision makers to start the growth conversation, giving them simple access to world-class advice, some of it funded.

“Through the LEP, we're adopting a private sector focus to the programme. Our primary target is to help ambitious, growth-hungry businesses looking to realise their potential. “It’s an exciting project - the biggest of its kind for ambitious businesses in Lancashire - and one that will act as a catalyst for growth in the county’s economy.” Boost will offer a range of services, some 100% funded, some part-funded, including:

  • Growth Mentoring by Community & Business Partners; providing high growth mentoring support through successful business leaders who have already worked through similar challenges.
  • Lancashire Forum; an exclusive leadership peer-to-peer networking and development programme run by LancasterUniversity.
  • Lancashire LEAP; led by Winning Pitch and Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, providing advice to pre-start and early start businesses.
  • UCLan’s Innovation Clinic; aimed at supporting advanced manufacturing and engineering companies develop new products and move into new markets.
  • Winning Pitch’s GrowthAccelerator service.

In addition, Boost will offer support through a pre-selected group of private sector advisory firms that specialise in helping growing businesses. County Councillor Jennifer Mein, Leader of Lancashire County Council, said: "We want a strong and sustainable economy here in Lancashire. It's important that we have the right conditions for business growth.

By bringing together expertise from the public and private sectors, Boost will help to bring about this growth and create new jobs in the county." Andy Walker, Head of Business Growth & Innovation at Lancashire County Council’s economic development service, said: “We've taken the time to make sure that we have the right partners in place.

We’ve brought together leading-edge specialists, all with a track record of supporting growing businesses. “We have a wonderful commercial pedigree in Lancashire and this programme can offer something for any ambitious company from areas such as leadership development, finance, innovation or business development.” 

Businesses looking to sign up to the programme can do so through a new website www.boostbusinesslancashire.co.uk or call 0800 488 0057.

Back
Share

You may also like...

Lancashire businesses urged to take advantage of expert funded support to help secure finance Mark Gibbons, lead adviser
11th November 2024
 | 
Finance
Lancashire businesses urged to take advantage of expert funded support to help secure finance
Business owners and entrepreneurs in Lancashire are being urged to make the most of a fully-funded service which gives them access to a team of finance experts to help them become investment-ready, source and secure growth finance.
UK external finance increases, as businesses remain cautiously optimistic on the economy UK external finance increases, as businesses remain cautiously optimistic on the economy
25th October 2024
 | 
Finance
UK external finance increases, as businesses remain cautiously optimistic on the economy
The British Business Bank’s fourth Nations and Regions Tracker has found usage of external finance has increased overall across the UK, with 11 out of the 12 nations and regions recording an uptick in use of small business finance.

Sign up to our newsletter

For insights and events to help your business thrive.

In completing this form, you understand that Lancashire County Council (Boost) has a requirement to process your personal data. Lancashire County Council will only ever process your personal data where it has a clear lawful basis for doing so in full compliance with data protection legislation - UK GDPR and The Data Protection Act (2018). We will ensure the security and confidentiality of your personal data at all times. For full details of how Lancashire County Council handles your personal data please see our privacy notice here . Some information relating to this public funded project may be declared to third parties under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
protected by reCAPTCHA Badge reCAPTCHA
Funded by local govmt
Department for Trade and Business
Northern Powerhouse
Lancashire County Council

The website uses cookies.

Some are used for statistical purposes and others are set up by third party services. By clicking 'Accept all & close', you accept the use of cookies. For more information on how we use and manage cookies, please read our Cookie Policy.

Accept all & close