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GROWTH HUB – One Stop Shop for Business
Published on 07 September 2020
United Kingdom
West Midlands
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) has been working with Local Authorities and other partners in the business support ecosystem to coordinate provision and make it easier for businesses to access and navigate public support, through a one-stop-shop model called the Growth Hub. The Hub is there to support SMEs and start-ups across the area to aid their growth and to advise, guide and connect them to information, opportunities and specific support. The Growth Hub offers impartial, no-cost advice from expert business advisers online and in person, working with many specialist partner organisations in the public/private sectors. The aim of the Hub is simply to enable businesses to get the right advice at the right time so they can grow and be as successful as they can be. An UK national policy implemented on a local/regional level the Hub is focused on the tangible delivery of business support. The Growth Hub is provided by the GBSLEP, the business-led, public/private body established to drive economic growth across Birmingham and Solihull. Growth Hubs were established to overcome the historic fragmentation of business support across Birmingham and address the overcrowded business support marketplace; to bring public and private partners together, build reach, join up and help business access support. The Growth Hub has a diverse team with a range of of different expertise and professional backgrounds, trained to industry accredited standards
Expert opinion
The English local enterprises partnerships (LEPs) and their Growth Hubs propose a one stop shop model building on formalized partnerships – not institutional mergers – and physical places where SMEs get access to a broad range of business support services.
There are currently 38 of them across England. Their goal is to simplify and rationalize business support by acting as a central source of information and advice within a defined local area.
The core elements of Growth Hubs are:
• A physical space
• A team of specialist advisers able to address a wide range of topics relevant to the competitiveness and growth of businesses.
Growth Hubs do not replace fully all other business support organizations on their regions, but they have a clear policy mandate to become the priority entry point to the local business support ecosystem. Whenever relevant they will signpost SMEs to further relevant organizations.
Growth Hubs get funding from the UK government and were so far co-funded by ERDF.
A further example of Growth Hubs is the Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub (INTRA project).
The website of the Growth Hub Network is: http://growthhubs.co.uk/.
There are currently 38 of them across England. Their goal is to simplify and rationalize business support by acting as a central source of information and advice within a defined local area.
The core elements of Growth Hubs are:
• A physical space
• A team of specialist advisers able to address a wide range of topics relevant to the competitiveness and growth of businesses.
Growth Hubs do not replace fully all other business support organizations on their regions, but they have a clear policy mandate to become the priority entry point to the local business support ecosystem. Whenever relevant they will signpost SMEs to further relevant organizations.
Growth Hubs get funding from the UK government and were so far co-funded by ERDF.
A further example of Growth Hubs is the Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub (INTRA project).
The website of the Growth Hub Network is: http://growthhubs.co.uk/.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
£ 513,000 revenue per annum
A team of 15 comprising of:
- Growth Hub Manager; Business Advisers (SFEDI accredited); Growth Hub Adviser; Account Managers; Mentoring Manager; Access to Finance Adviser; Operations & Compliance Manager; Events & Partnerships Officer; Marketing & Outreach Manager
A team of 15 comprising of:
- Growth Hub Manager; Business Advisers (SFEDI accredited); Growth Hub Adviser; Account Managers; Mentoring Manager; Access to Finance Adviser; Operations & Compliance Manager; Events & Partnerships Officer; Marketing & Outreach Manager
Evidence of success
The Growth Hub has:
- worked with over 1,200 businesses
- made over 3,500 referrals to growth advice and funding at the right time;
- supported over 500 jobs creations
- 85% clients satisfied/very satisfied with service
- 50% of businesses increased profitability or productivity
- 40,000+ unique web site visitors; and
- secured around £2m additional EU additional EU funding to work with more businesses and expand the range and depth of the support services offered.
- worked with over 1,200 businesses
- made over 3,500 referrals to growth advice and funding at the right time;
- supported over 500 jobs creations
- 85% clients satisfied/very satisfied with service
- 50% of businesses increased profitability or productivity
- 40,000+ unique web site visitors; and
- secured around £2m additional EU additional EU funding to work with more businesses and expand the range and depth of the support services offered.
Potential for learning or transfer
- Many public organisations across Europe face reducing resources – efficient working is in everyone’s interest in any region
- Organisations in an economic area (e.g. city region) may be very different in their character, interest and operations but want the same thing i.e. a thriving business population so effective collaboration is possible anywhere the conditions are right
- The support, funding and regulation environments can be confusing for SMEs, so initiatives to simplify and streamline this should have a positive impact anywhere
- Organisations in an economic area (e.g. city region) may be very different in their character, interest and operations but want the same thing i.e. a thriving business population so effective collaboration is possible anywhere the conditions are right
- The support, funding and regulation environments can be confusing for SMEs, so initiatives to simplify and streamline this should have a positive impact anywhere
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP
United Kingdom
West Midlands
Contact
Project Manager