New SME business hub to support job growth in Tees Valley

A North East SME business hub has announced the launch of a new base in the Tees Valley.

The Tees Valley Business hub, powered by the SME Centre of Excellence (SMECofE), has opened a base in Middlesbrough to support the town’s growing businesses.

Situated in the town’s Boho digital campus, the hub will offer support to startups and scaleups in the local area.

Teesside entrepreneurs Matt Atkinson and Jordan Dargue will work alongside SMECofE founder Ammar Mirza to deliver tailored support covering new market entry and product development, as well as back office functions such as HR, accountancy and marketing.

The Tees Valley Business Hub is the second regional site for SMECofE, which launched its first hub in Northumberland in 2018.

Matt Atkinson, chief executive of the Tees Valley Business Hub, commented: “The Tees Valley business community is unique and we have established this Hub in response to the specific challenges and needs that entrepreneurs here will face, both in the current climate and into the future.

“The SMECofE is a very well-established brand in the North East, and to have already supported so many Tees businesses is phenomenal, but to truly support our community, you have to be part of it.”

Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, added: “Supporting our fantastic local businesses is my absolute priority and is more important than ever as we continue our recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, and the new Tees Valley Business Hub will play a crucial part in that.

“My plan for the economic recovery of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool is a plan for jobs which will see the creation of good quality, high skilled local jobs for local people, and this new centre will support hundreds of businesses in our region to help them invest, grow and create these jobs.”