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Accelerator Project

The Accelerator project provides support to businesses across the East Midlands to help them start, sustain, grow and innovate. Fully funded and tailored to the needs of each participating district across the region, the project can provide your business with impactful support that will leave a lasting impact on your business plan. The project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and East Midlands Chamber.

What does that support cover?

  • Business Adviser support – A team of locally based Advisers and Specialists, employed by the Chamber, will offer high-intensity support to businesses to create new jobs or exploit technology to improve performance. Diagnostics will be assessed, and a Business Action Plan produced through the Balanced Scorecard strategic management system model.
  • Training – Including action planning workshops and webinars covering a wide range of areas fundamental to your business such as finance and HR, right through to cutting edge topics like AI.
  • Access to finance – Including specialised consultancy delivered through growth voucher support, and capital and revenue grants. All available through consultation with a business adviser.
  • Networks for collaboration – Helping you grow your networks, collaborate and learn from fellow businesses through projects such as the national Help to Grow: Management scheme, East Midlands Manufacturing Network and dedicated business forums.
  • Tailored pre-start and start up business support – Delivered in the form of one-to-one advisor consultancy and bootcamp workshops to up-skill individuals.
  • Tailored sector based support – Available for selected areas for high street businesses
  • Sustainability support – Helping you to reduce your energy costs and carbon footprint for your business, and including energy audits.

What are the programme priorities?

The Accelerator project has five investment priorities:

  • Start-up Accelerator – supporting individuals at pre-start stage who are looking to develop a business idea or who are in their early years of starting a business
  • Net Zero Accelerator – helping businesses to reduce the cost of their energy bills and improve efficiencies
  • High Street Accelerator – support for bricks-and-mortar businesses located on the high street seeking to increase footfall to their business and attract and retain customers
  • Innovation Accelerator – selected new high-growth and scale-up clients to help them innovate and grow
  • Financial Accelerator – a cross-cutting theme delivered across all project interventions, including growth vouchers for specialist consultancy advice and access to grant funding

To access localised support please click the relevant local authority below:

If you are unsure of your local authority area please use the GOV checker

*Erewash and Bolsover businesses are supported directly through their local authority

**The Accelerator project supports Nottingham City businesses through access to local training workshops which can be booked through our events page

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.