£7.2m Boost for business growth in Lancashire

Lancashire’s largest ever business support programme aimed at growth-hungry businesses is now under way.

Boost aims to grow the county’s economy by £20m, create at least 1,200 new jobs and safeguard 700 more by 2015.

“Whether a business has specific growth plans or not, the business support landscape for growing businesses is complex and quite often business owners and directors don’t know where to turn.

“It’s an exciting project - the biggest of its kind for ambitious businesses in Lancashire - and one that will act as a catalyst for growth in the county’s economy.”

• Growth Mentoring by Community & Business Partners; providing high growth mentoring support through successful business leaders who have already worked through similar challenges.
• Lancashire Forum; an exclusive leadership peer-to-peer networking and development programme run by Lancaster University.
• Lancashire LEAP; led by Winning Pitch and Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, providing advice to pre-start and early start businesses.
• UCLan’s Innovation Clinic, aimed at advanced manufacturing and engineering companies.
• Winning Pitch’s GrowthAccelerator; an expanded version of the national GrowthAccelerator programme.

The service will be delivered through a partnership between Lancashire County Council, Community & Business Partners, Lancaster University, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, University of Central Lancashire and Winning Pitch. £3.6m of funding has been provided by the European Regional Development Fund.