Support for start-ups interrupted by Covid-19

If you started your business in or after 2018, and your trading was interrupted by the Covid-19 lockdowns, Business Gateway can help you find grant funding and apply for it.

The support is fully funded and will therefore cost your business nothing. It is delivered by people who are experts in supporting start-up businesses.

Business Gateway are looking at five areas where their support can make a difference to your business:

• Making your business more resilient
• Business strategy and planning
• Product development and pricing
• Business growth by reaching new markets and increasing your customer base
• Getting yourself and your business ready for investment

How Business Gateway will help

By offering a mix of 1-2-1 support, workshops and Business Accelerator programmes. When you talk to one of their Business Advisers, they’ll help you decide which support is best for you.

Who can apply?

If your business has been trading for 36 months or less and you are based in Leicester or Leicestershire (including Charnwood). You must be registered as a business with HMRC or Companies House and you must have been affected by the pandemic. 

Business Gateway are not taking into account the turnover or size of your business though it is likely that you will be an SME or microbusiness.    

How much time do you need to commit?

Your support will take around six weeks and it’s likely to involve around seven hours per week of your time.

How do you apply?

Call the Business Gateway advisers on 0116 366 8487 or complete an online enquiry form.

Who is delivering the support?

The Business Gateway has commissioned NBV Enterprise Solutions, Leicester Start-ups, Incrementa and So Very Creative to deliver the different programmes of support.

The initiative is being funded in partnership with Leicester City Council, Charnwood Borough Council and other Leicestershire districts councils. 

Charnwood Borough Council has £150,000 of grant money available, for grants of up to £10,000 available to start-ups which are referred to make an application to the council by Business Gateway.

When is the programme running?

The programme of support is available from October and will finish no later than March 2022.

Full details can be found on the Business Gateway website.