Funding summit hailed huge success

A Shropshire summit to highlight ways in which businesses can access vital funding has been hailed a huge success.

A total of 72 businesses and 36 exhibitors packed in to the Marches Growth Hub Shropshire’s Summer Funding Summit at Shrewsbury Town’s ground.

The event brought together representatives from banks, peer-to-peer lenders, alternative finance and European and Government supported programmes to showcase the range of funding schemes available to businesses.

It also included the launch of the Marches Growth Hub’s £10million Growth Challenge – designed to simplify access to finance – and a Brexit and national business update from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Marches Growth Hub Shropshire manager Emma Chapman said feedback from the event – supported by peer-to-peer lending organisation Folk2Folk with support from the Marches European Regional Development Fund technical service – had been excellent.

“Everybody I have spoken to has told me how useful the event was in finding out about the full range of funding which is available for businesses to help them launch, get established and grow. We had representatives from the major banks, big funding programmes and crowdfunding and alternative finance groups, all of whom had the opportunity to talk about the work they do.

“There was a real buzz in the room throughout the event and we are certain it will have helped spread the word about the funding which we at the Growth Hub can help businesses to access.”

The event also included the launch of the Business Growth Programme in Shropshire. The £23.5m ERDF Business Growth Programme 2 for existing B2B businesses in the Marches offers grants of up to £1million to existing businesses and up to £10,000 for start-up businesses.

Pictured:  Marches Growth Hub chairman Paul Hinkins with Marches Growth Hub Shropshire manager Emma Chapman