SMEs in Devon that want to scale up will now have the perfect opportunity to do so after a leading business support specialist launched into the county.
Inspire have been selected by the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership to pilot a scale up programme for fast growing SMEs across Devon and almost 150 business owners descended on Deer Park Country House, Honiton to hear how they can help.
Inspire is designed to break down barriers to growth, share best practice and provide one-to-one bespoke support, advice and networking opportunities with like-minded companies.
The service also includes access to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 small business programme which provides 100 hours of fully funded support to growing businesses.
And, having provided support for high-growth businesses in Wiltshire, Bristol, Bath and Somerset, they have now joined forces with Devon & Plymouth Chamber to deliver this support across Devon.
For both the Chamber and the Heart of the South West LEP, having such support available will be a huge boost for SMEs in Devon.
Stuart Elford, Chief Executive of Devon and Plymouth Chamber said at the launch:“We are pleased and proud to be partnering with Inspire. I spoke to other chambers and they couldn’t recommend them highly enough.
“For us it’s all about building partnerships for a brighter future for our local businesses and working with Inspire will help our businesses maximise their potential.
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“We already provide a broad range of business help and support but what this will enable us to do is target bespoke advice to growing companies.
“Inspire boasts a 70% average growth rate for clients and I am excited to be able to offer this ambitious service to our members in Devon.”
David Ralph, Chief Executive of Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, said:“Raising productivity and prosperity are key aims of the LEP and Devon is an innovative and exciting place to work.
"We have many high-quality SMEs who are driving businesses forward in the South West however we know that these businesses face a number of challenges which is why business support intervention is so important.
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“Our Growth Hub provides support at every stage of a business’s journey, but it hasn’t been where we’d have liked it to be when it comes to scale ups.
“That’s why I’m delighted to be linking up with Inspire to help bridge that gap. I’ve already seen the quality of work they have done in Somerset and I have no hesitation in recommending them to businesses in Devon who want to scale up.”
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Rob Perks, Inspire’s CEO, commented:“It was great to attract so many like-minded businesspeople to our launch event and let them know about the resources that are available,” said Rob.
“There is so much information out there that sifting through it to find what’s right for your business is impossible – we’re here to do that for you.”