SETsquared Bath is part of the SETsquared Partnership, a collaboration between the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey which supports the growth and success of new businesses providing world-leading incubation support services, enterprise activities and access to investment networks. SETsquared Bath actively supports entrepreneurs, start-up and scale-up companies across a range of high tech and high growth sectors with focused ERDF-funded programmes for sustainable technologies, digital platforms and advanced engineering.

From an operational point of view, during these unprecedented times SETsquared Bath, will continue to support SME and start up companies through the ERDF Business Acceleration Hubs (BAH). The Sustainable Technologies BAH, Advanced Engineering BAH and Digital Innovation BAH will still continue to operate. Companies from across the West of England innovating within these sectors can continue to take advantage of the free support available through the Business Acceleration Hubs.

The support available is tailored to the business need including mentoring from an expert business consultant or focussed workshops to help you develop your business. The hubs can also connect you with world-class expert researchers at the University of Bath to ‘start a conversation’ which may lead to collaborative research and join research grant applications. During the current isolation period we are faced with, all business support is being arranged virtually through various video conference platforms.

The business development workshops focus on key elements of early stage business growth and are delivered by SETsquared Bath through expert trainers and sector specialists. The Entrepreneur Workshop Programmes have been shifted to virtual delivery. The three modules will be hosted as a 12 hour virtual programme and run over 3 days in 4 hourly modules. The next workshop will be hosted on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd April and then again on the 29th & 30th June.

Pre-registration is essential via the webpage: https://www.setsquared.co.uk/programme/business-acceleration-growth-hub/. It is hoped that by Autumn the workshop programmes will return to the normal format and facilitated face to face again.

SETsquared Bath are also continuing to offer their members and Business Hub participants virtual access to the ‘In Residence’ services - 1:1 free expert clinics from professionals such as accountants, lawyers, tax advisors and grant writing specialists. Bookings can be made https://bath-setsquared.co.uk/setsquared-business-support.

The Business Acceleration Hubs are funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (the funding remains in place regardless of Brexit negotiation outcomes) and each project runs for a three year period to help establish and scale-up over 130 SMEs. The Sustainable Technologies Business Acceleration Hub launched at the end of 2017 and to date *£10 million pounds of investment and grant funding has been secured by companies who have participated on the programme. Highlighting that SME and research engagement has successfully supported businesses from across the region.

For further information about each of the Business support programmes visit the websites and if applicable submit your application using the online form:

STBAH: https://www.stbah.org/

AEBAH: https://www.aeb-hub.org/

DBAH: https://www.dbah.org/

* The STBAH does not take full credit for all money raised.

Latest operational news from the ERDF Business Hubs