Business Support

Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is one of 38 local business led partnerships nationwide between local authorities and businesses driving economic growth and the creation of local jobs. The Coast to Capital Growth Hub provides free and impartial government funded business support, including one to one support from specialist growth advisors and Brexit transition advisors.

Coast to Capital - Growth Hub

The Business Hothouse offers free support to pre-start and established businesses in the Coast-to-Capital area. From workshops to grant funding, they provide the expert guidance to get your business growing.  Visit the website for further information. The Business Hothouse.

The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year olds. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers: National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months and associated employer National Insurance contributions. Employers can spread the start date of the job placements up until the end of December 2021.

Kickstart Scheme

Bespoke services to help ambitious, innovative SMEs scale and grow. 5-7 days of bespoke fully-funded support for; Innovative and ambitious SMEs who want to grow their business in the UK and Globally.

Innovate UK Edge

West Sussex has been adopted into the Arts Council funded British Library Business & IP Centre National Network. They run webinars, including Reset. Restart programme offering support to SMEs across the country through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

British Library Business & IP Centre

Brighton and Hove City Libraries is developing a Business & IP Centre (BIPC), which will be part of the British Library Business & IP Centre National Network.

Brighton & Hove City Libraries - Help Start, Protect and Grow Business

Support for Low Carbon and Environmental Goods & Services (LCEGS) SMEs to adopt and develop eco-innovative and low carbon solutions to improve business.

Grants of up to £10,000 for energy efficiency and low carbon product/service development.

Soon to be available to businesses in West Sussex. 

Businesses can obtain further help, advice and register their interest by contacting the University of Brighton's Green Growth Platform https://www.clean-growth.uk/locase/.

They are also running a series of free workshops on energy efficiency and renewables for local SMEs further details here https://www.clean-growth.uk/events/.

LoCase - wider programme information

Research & Innovation Sussex Excellence (RISE) is a new business innovation project to help West Sussex enterprises innovate using expertise from the universities of Brighton and Sussex.

Through the RISE project, the Universities of Brighton and Sussex are offering free business innovation support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in West Sussex.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be given access to expertise to support their business innovation. Support will be given in the form of innovation diagnostics, workshops and a bespoke development programme to help companies take their business in new directions.

Eligible businesses will work with business Innovation Advisors to identify bespoke business needs and opportunities – identifying and removing barriers to innovation.

The two-year project, Research, Innovation in Sussex Excellence (RISE), has been awarded funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), West Sussex County Council, and the seven West Sussex district and borough councils, to stimulate innovation-led growth, by providing targeted and intensive support for businesses.

Find out more at rise-innovation.uk or contact Lorraine Bell, Head of Project (RISE) at RISE@brighton.ac.uk.

Research & Innovation Sussex Excellence (RISE)