Blackpool launches academies to support business growth and sustainability

Blackpool Council launched a pair of business academies offering tailored advice to new and growing businesses, and practical help to lower carbon emissions.

The Blackpool Growth Business Academy is designed to foster entrepreneurial spirit by helping new start businesses to chart their future success. 

It will also provide advice and mentoring for more established growth ambitious businesses to expand their operations, scale their impact, and drive innovation and job creation.

It will feature executive coaching, specialist growth expertise, workshops and events. Academy advisors will work closely with qualifying businesses to develop and implement company-specific growth plans. Each action plan will support the best route to growth, whether that’s adopting new technology, refining a process, entering new markets or launching new products.

The Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy will assist local businesses in their journey to net zero, assessing their carbon footprint and creating detailed plans to reduce carbon emissions, drive down energy costs and develop sustainable business practices.

The £850,000 initiative is funded by the government's Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) and is led by the council’s Business Growth Team. It forms part of Blackpool’s £5.7m SPF investment programme to March 2025.

The academy programmes will be promoted via the Blackpool Unlimited gateway, the Business Growth Team’s website and alert service that has been signposting relevant advice, funding support and regeneration news to local businesses for over 15 years.

The council has secured a wide range of specialist advisors and mentors to help deliver the academy offer.  

Coun Mark Smith, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for Levelling Up – place with responsibilities for business growth, said: "We are committed to nurturing our town's economic development and job creation. This funding allows us to extend the range of advice and support available to a diverse range of businesses and sectors, whether large or small, hospitality or manufacturing.

“The advisors will work be working with companies to realise ambitions and grow sustainability.  The establishment of the Blackpool Growth Business Academy and the Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy signifies the council's commitment to empowering local businesses and steering the town towards a prosperous and environmentally conscious future.”