Support for Business Growth

There is a wide range of advice, practical support and potential investment available to help businesses in Newcastle to grow.  

The Business and Intellectual Property Centre, (based within Newcastle City Library) provides a free information and advice service to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) grow, innovate and explore new markets. Businesses can benefit from:

• Experts in Residence: We have a friendly and knowledgeable team of 30+ local experts who are on hand to offer one to one appointments to discuss a wide range of topics suitable to your business needs, ranging from finance and funding, marketing and communication, hr, intellectual property, law and much more.

• Marketing Intelligence: Access to free online databases like COBRA, Mintel, IbisWorld, D&B Hoovers and Kompass to help with market research and sector trends, emerging markets, international opportunities, as well as sourcing new customers and developing your business strategy.

• Intellectual Property: Do you have an idea or invention but are unsure how to go about protecting it? Our helpful and insightful team have 30 years’ experience of providing intellectual property advice to North-East innovators, inventors and entrepreneurs. We provide regular IP surgeries to help you understand IP and how to protect your ideas, business identity and creativity.  

The North East Growth Hub website is also a good source of information for businesses providing information on what is available from local, regional and national business support providers and routes to investment for growth.  Here you will find information on regional support including finance and funding, business support and events.

The North of Tyne Business Growth Fund launched in January 2020, aiming to support small and medium sized businesses located in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland. Support is available for business growth and fostering innovative processes which will drive productivity resulting in increased profitability, wage growth and employment growth in SMEs.

The fund aims to assist SMEs with their growth plans ensuring they are viable, create new jobs and deliver results.

Grants are available through our delivery partner UMi to contribute towards the total cost, these start from £20,000 (requiring a minimum total investment of at least £67k). Businesses seeking support will need to demonstrate that financial assistance is required for the investment to progress.

Please contact Mike Baker, mikebaker@weareumi.co.uk, 0191 716 1007 for further details.

This project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Net Zero

The Council has committed to reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases by 100% by 2030. We want to support Newcastle based business to help us reach this goal and access the significant opportunities for growth along the way. By 2050 it is estimated that the number of jobs in the green economy could grow to between 1.4 million and 2.5 million across the UK as businesses innovate, produce, and supply the goods and services needed to retrofit our buildings and homes, reduce carbon intensive energy and introduce more sustainable practices. Net Zero Newcastle provides an outline of the many ways the Council is working towards Net Zero and how you can get involved.

We also suggest you consider the following opportunities for business help and advice:

• The Business Energy Saving Team (BEST) can help businesses in Newcastle to save costs and improve their environmental performance through free energy-saving audits, advice and potential grant funding to install energy-saving measures.