Business Support

Recognising the diversity of business types across Babergh and Mid Suffolk means that multiple approaches are needed to support businesses in the area. This support is accessible through your local authority and broader networks.

A difficult part of running a business can be finding the support you need. What help is available? Are you eligible? Will it make a difference? This is where support can help. Through our partners, we provide a point of access to a wide range of support and directly provide funding. From start-ups to established businesses, we make it easy to find the help needed to boost productivity, profitability, and resilience.

Financial Support

Some of this support is financial, and comes in the form of grant funding. This can be through our own funding programmes, like the Business Innovation Support Scheme. There is also Innovate to Elevate which is a fully funded business accelerator program set up between Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils and the University of Essex. The Rural England Prosperity Fund is now available, designed to to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities.

Together with our partner organisations, who are linked below, we can help you find support to:

• Grow, expand, or relocate your business 
• Find and recruit people with the right skills 
• Grow overseas 
• Adopt a greener business model 
• Understand the range of finance options available 
• Help you to identify business growth opportunities 
• Connect with local businesses 

Business Support

For established businesses in Babergh and Mid Suffolk the best starting point to get advice is the New Anglia Growth Hub. If are about to establish a business or you started within the last 12 months you can get support designed for the needs of startups at the Startup Support page.

You can also find government advice and support for starting, growing or exporting your business at the Help to Grow website. This site will help with setting up a business, growing a business and starting to trade internationally.

Of course, other types of support can be hugely beneficial. We work closely with partner organisations and providers of skills training – fantastic for upskilling not only your existing staff but also your supply chain.

You may gain a huge benefit from attending our exhibitions, like the successful Energy Showcase, or entering a competition like our Innovation Awards. Have a look at how a previous winner, Yum Yum Tree Fudge, benefitted.

Creative Industry Business Support

If you are in a creative business, you can apply for the Creative East – Create Growth Programme. Arts Council England run an excellent Mentoring Programme, and there is also StartEast, a resource for creative people.

Learn about this programme and more on our dedicated page for creative industry support.

Net Zero Business Support

There is lots of Net Zero Business Support available too, aside from our grant funding. Find out how to Become Carbon Charter accredited through the Carbon Charter website, and learn about support offered by Green Suffolk and Groundwork. The UK Business Climate Hub is a collaboration between the UK Government, businesses and business groups across the UK. The Hub is the UK partner of the SME Climate Hub, the global initiative which empowers small and medium-sized enterprises to take climate action.

This section of the website aims to give you a greater understanding of how we support business in the Heart of Suffolk. Follow the links on the right to learn more.

Equity Funding Support

Are you looking for an investment into your business? New Anglia Capital, part of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, helps early stage and high growth businesses pitch to experienced angel investors and provides match funding for successful projects. This co-investment fund is backed by £4m from New Anglia LEP in partnership with Anglia Capital Group. It aims to stimulate entrepreneurship and economic growth across Suffolk and Norfolk.