Edge Hill business school wins national award for SME support

Edge Hill University Business School has won the Outstanding Support for Small Business category at the Small Business Charter Awards 2026.

The award, presented at the Small Business Charter Annual Conference in London, recognises the business school's work supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through its Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC).

The university said the centre helps businesses grow through leadership development, innovation support and the adoption of artificial intelligence.

Professor Jay Cullen, executive dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said: "It is a testament to our commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and the wider regional economy through research and partnership.

"I am particularly grateful to the team in our Productivity and Innovation Centre, Professor Simon Bolton, Michael Banford, Andrea Cunningham and Steve McArdle, for their tireless dedication to our partners and students."

The university said programmes delivered by the business school, including its High Growth Innovation Sprint, have supported 353 SMEs, helped create 483 jobs and contributed to the development of 174 new or improved products.

Prof Simon Bolton, associate dean for Knowledge Exchange, said: "We have just welcomed more than 25 graduates from disciplines as diverse as health, law and computer science to our new intensive start-up support programme.

"With our Business Hub now fully operational, the Accelerate programme marks the beginning of an ambitious 12-month schedule of business growth, leadership training and AI readiness initiatives."