Partner Article

Nottingham University unveils business growth programme

Business support has been made available to 100 companies in the Nottingham area by the University and City Council.

The scheme will aim to enhance skills and knowledge amongst companies and help owners and directors to grow their businesses.

As part of the Nottingham Growth Plan, the “new growth 100” initiative will provide detailed analysis of each participating business, to create a tailored programme for expansion and development.

Together with the City Council, Nottingham University Business School will provide support for each company’s management team, while business professionals will also offer advice to enhance leadership skills, finance, human resources, marketing, innovation and peer networking.

The University of Nottingham said each company will come out with a business growth plan to enable them to expand and develop a growth strategy, which can also be presented to potential investors.

Nottingham-based SMEs with growth aspirations have been urged to join the European Regional Development Fund-backed scheme.

Each place on the programme represents £5,000 of investment, which businesses will receive in terms of mentoring, networking opportunities, educational content and peer support.

Nottingham City Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Graham Chapman, said: “We believe our Nottingham Growth Plan has the potential to completely restructure this city’s economy.

“This Growth 100 Programme is the first of many initiatives within the Growth Plan and is aimed at two types of business owners — those who might not have thought about expanding before but believe their enterprise has the potential to grow and those who own businesses with high growth potential requiring financial investment so needing a bespoke business plan to present to investors.”

The University indicated its hopes for the project to boost jobs in the area, unveil the need for increased investment and stimulate economic growth.

Professor Martin Binks, Dean of the Nottingham University Business School, said: “We have worked closely with small and medium sized businesses for many years and our expertise will help business owners to innovate and create the competitive edge they need to develop and expand over the coming years.”

“At the University, we recognise that it is vitally important to the local economy that we work to support those businesses that have the potential for significant growth.

“It is these businesses which will form the backbone of the future economic landscape of Nottingham, creating new jobs and wealth in the city.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .