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Adopting new technologies

Evidence shows that businesses that have introduced digital and automated operations will see increased benefits in productivity, employee performance, and a reduction in operating costs, leading to faster and more sustainable growth.

Business Support for Retailers

‘Save The Highstreet’ provide specialist business support to retailers across the UK. They will work with you to identify solutions to the biggest challenges faced by your business, and they will support you on this fully funded programme to make changes to overcome these challenges. Participants will improve their digital marketing approaches, attracting more customers and so increasing existing revenues. You will also understand how to access financing options including local grants.

Digital Skills Coach – Free support

SMEs can access support in the form of a student who can help them with their digital projects, this could be around social media, data management, email marketing, SEO, AI tools, digital marketing, MS Teams or more. This support is offered through a partnership with East Midlands Chamber and Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Barclays Eagle Labs

Barclays have been awarded a £12 million digital growth grant by the government, to create several support programmes that will assist tech businesses across the UK. These programmes will run for 2 years and are aimed at boosting the growth of UK tech start-ups and scale-ups.

The support programmes include:

  • Product builder programme - A challenge-based programme for early stage start-ups, so they can learn about the fundamentals of designing and testing a minimum viable product
  • Funding readiness programme - Designed to help growing businesses understand and navigate the UK’s funding landscape
  • Scale-up programmes - Delivered by expert partners to provide rapidly growing businesses with the support they need to further scale their growth
  • Industry bridge programmes - Bridging together larger businesses and start-ups within industry sectors to share strategic thinking and co-create solutions and innovation
  • Black founder venture growth programme - Targeted support for established black founder-led businesses to help them drive growth and scale
  • Female founder accelerator - A programme that connects and supports female-founded technology businesses in their growth journey, while building a community of like-minded entrepreneurs.

Learn more about these free support programmes at the website links below:

Women in Business - Coaching Support

Barclays Bank offer free specialist coaching sessions that could help you with business planning, cashflow forecasts, digital support, accessing finance and more. They provide four one-hour virtual sessions with one of their Business Relationship Managers, with flexibility to work around your schedule. You can also request a female coach, if you prefer.

To apply, you’ll need:

  • A business account with Barclays
  • At least one female founder
  • A UK business with an annual turnover between £50,000 and £6.5m

Once you’ve signed up, they will match you with one of our expert relationship managers within 10 working days. You can then see what coaching options are available and book your sessions. 

East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre (EMCRC)

East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre (EMCRC) provides free membership, support, and help to protect small and medium businesses across the region against cyber crime through a structured collaboration. EMCRC works in conjunction with local universities, businesses, and the 5 East Midlands police forces - Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire.

Enterprise Nation - Business Connected

Business Connected provides a series of free workshops, webinars and e-learning modules, designed to help businesses kickstart digital change, adopt new technology, and stay safe.

Amazon Small Business Accelerator

This is a free online educational programme for anyone who wants to start or grow a business online. Aspiring business leaders will be able to access more than 20 courses and over 50 videos of content on essential topics, such as ‘how to build a business online’, ‘supercharging operations’, ‘growing sales’, and ‘creating a social media presence’, bringing the best in class from the country’s small business experts and Amazon leaders.

Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and social enterprises located in rural areas can get a voucher worth up to £4500 for a business to help cover the costs of installing gigabit broadband. Small and medium-sized enterprises for this scheme are classed as having up to 249 employees and an annual turnover of no more than £36 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not over £18 million.

Page last updated: 4 December 2024