Our partners

When GM Business Growth Hub launched, we imagined it becoming an exemplar of public and private collaboration. We’re very proud of the progress we’ve made together in helping ambitious leaders, businesses and places to achieve their full potential.

Our History

2011

GM Business Growth Hub is founded and becomes the blueprint for a national network of 38 Business Growth Hubs that facilitate business support programmes.

2012

The original workforce of five grows to seven dedicated staff members.

2013

The specialist support now covers digital, mentoring, start-up, access to finance, manufacturing, resource efficiency and green technology.

2014

Our first major event, Venturefest, takes place, bringing together more than 400 innovators, entrepreneurs and investors. By 2019, its final year, it attracts 1,150 attendees.

2015

We support businesses impacted by the impact of Storm Eva on Boxing Day, which causes severe flooding across Greater Manchester.

2016

In our first five years of existence, we assist 6,470 businesses, unlocking over £57million in finance offers and helping to create or safeguard 16,608 jobs.

2017

We’re awarded a high-profile Environmental/Sustainability Impact of the Year award for our “ground-breaking approach in driving forward the transition to a low carbon economy”

2018

A new Energy Efficiency Grant is offered, supporting businesses with the costs of their energy efficiency improvements.

2019

Roll-out of the Global Scale-up programme, which helps companies to rapidly expand into multiple markets.

2020

We launch #HereForBusiness, Greater Manchester’s emergency response for those impacted by Covid-19, which goes on to answer more than 29,000 enquiries.

2021

By the time of our 10th birthday, we’ve engaged with 77,500 businesses.

2022

We launch GM Leadership Hive , in collaboration with the region's university business schools, and Social Value support.

2023

New funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund sees us commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support local businesses.

2024

To date, we have engaged with more than 90,000 businesses, raised £290million in finance offers, created 15,000 jobs and provided a return on investment of 10:1.

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Work with us

We offer exciting and rewarding careers. By joining us you can make a real difference to people’s lives and the success of businesses in Greater Manchester. Take a look at our latest opportunities.

Get in touch

Take that first step and we’ll support you with whatever you need to succeed.

 

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FAQs

As Greater Manchester’s business support organisation, it’s our job to make your business better. We have specialist advisors to help you with whatever your priorities are, whether that’s securing funding becoming more innovative, developing yourself or your people, market expansion , improving your sustainability or social value or any number of other challenges. Likewise, if you’re not sure what to focus on, we can help you identify areas for improvement, potential growth opportunities, and any issues that might be hindering performance.

 

With funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we have been commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority to deliver a comprehensive offer of support to businesses in the city-region, no matter their size or specialism. Thanks to this funding and the support of our community of partners, we're able to provide our services at no direct cost to businesses. You will, however, be expected to invest your own time and effort if you’re to benefit from the help available, and to let us know what effect the support has had on your business. 

(From 2014-2021, our services were part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund


First, contact our enquiries advisors. They’ll listen and connect you with the right support for your unique challenges. We’ll then deliver the programme of support best suited to help you achieve more.

We’re here to accompany you on your journey. We’ve been working with many of our clients for several years, providing support on multiple areas – companies like One+All, which we’ve been partnering with since 2017; and The Insights Family, which has gone from strength to strength since also first receiving support in 2017.

 

The guidance we provide is 100% focused on making your business better. We’ll support you with whatever you need to succeed, and you’ll see tangible improvements to your business. But don’t take our word for it – see what others have said about us.

To access this publicly funded support, your business must be trading in Greater Manchester. Not sure if you qualify? Contact us to find out.

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