Blaby District Council held its latest free business breakfast networking event on 11th July 2017 at the Hilton Leicester Hotel, with our Robert Flannagan attending.
The event started at 7:30am and bacon sandwiches and hot drinks were available on arrival. The first half an hour provided an opportunity for the attendees to network amongst themselves. Blaby District Council then followed a welcome and introduction with information on the Leicester Business Festival, local developments and funding and support initiatives potentially available to local small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”).
After this, a guest speaker from East Midlands Chamber gave a talk on the Digital Growth Programme (previously eBusiness Club) which offers certain regional SMEs with business advice and support seminars and workshops. The Programme also provides qualifying SMEs with access to partial funding for implementing new technology.
This was followed by Leicester City Council giving a speech on Green BELLE. Green BELLE offers grants to certain Leicester and Leicestershire SMEs to implement technology which looks to reduce energy consumption. The grants are for half of particular project costs and, together with the Digital Growth Programme, may be of interest to local SMEs.
Many of the grants discussed at the event are financed, or partially financed, by the European Regional Development Fund and local SMEs may also find it useful to consider the information available on the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Business Gateway.