Enterprise Hub was set up in 2015 to provide a single gateway for business start-up support. With 16 community partners working together to offer expert advice and guidance, Enterprise Hub builds the Liverpool City Region as a central hub for enterprise.

As lead partner and managing agent of the programme, The Women’s Organisation have helped nurture hundreds of new enterprises across the Liverpool City Region, reflecting a wide range of sectors.

What does Enterprise Hub do?

Enterprise Hub is open to men and women living in the six Liverpool City Region boroughs; Knowsley, Sefton, Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens or Halton, and provides expert advice and support to anyone wanting to start a business from scratch.

Guidance is given to support every element of getting a business started, beginning with how to research an idea and build a comprehensive business plan before developing a marketing plan and financial forecasts, and ultimately accessing sources of finance to get you off the ground.

Impact on partner organisations

One of our key delivery partners since inception has been Everton Development Trust, who offer new business advice and guidance and training to support enterprise skill development. Through being involved in Enterprise Hub the impact on the Trust and the wider community has been very positive. Andrew Williams, CEO of the Everton Development Trust, said: “Overall, we are very happy with the results we have achieved … in some measures exceeding our Programme Output targets.”

As well as gathering partners so expertise and advice can be readily shared, Enterprise Hub provided the structure and processes the Trust needed, along with financial claim procedures, compliance visits and marketing support through the central Enterprise Hub brand. Central reporting mechanisms also made it easy to update the government office.

Thanks to Enterprise Hub’s connection to wider partnerships and other referral organisations, Everton Development Trust were able to leverage support from all manner of sources and Intellectual Property insights from Liverpool Central Library.

A diverse array of businesses

Since entering into the partnership, Andrew has praised the well-briefed and co-ordinated client referral system operated by The Women’s Organisation in helping them create a genuinely diverse offering of new businesses. These ranged from local people forming social enterprises and charities, to innovative and investor-led projects, and individuals faced with redundancy empowering themselves with self-employment. This wide array of practical skills and abilities has enabled local people to start businesses in a wide range of sectors, including construction, medical, digital, and PR and Marketing.

Andrew says: “The results are a testament to the excellent partnership working between the delivery and strategic partners of the project… Any issues regarding the registration and working with clients were always resolved quickly, most professionally, and always with the emphasis of deciding which was the best option for the client. Mutually beneficial partnership working – so often genuinely lacking in projects of this nature – was refreshing and ensured that all efforts were focused upon achieving the cumulative results of the Programme.”

For More Information on Enterprise Hub

Contact our expert team who will help to assess your business needs and link you to the relevant support via:

Telephone: 0151 706 8113

Email: enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk

Connect with Enterprise Hub on Facebook, Twitter or stay posted with updates on the Enterprise Hub blog.

How is Enterprise Hub funded?

Enterprise Hub is receiving funding from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, European Regional Development Fund funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding

Enterprise Hub is currently on it’s second tranche of funding. Find out more about our current support here.