A brief introduction for students and graduates at the University of Salford to business support groups/networks.

1. Business Support

2. SME:
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): enterprises which employ
fewer than 250 persons and which have an annual turnover not exceeding 50
million euro, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding 43 million euro.
UK Business: Activity, Size and Location, 2012. ONS.
Salford/Greater Manchester.
European, national, regional, sub-regional, local.
‘New’ business.
Micro Small Medium SMEs
Employees 0-9 10-49 50-249 0-249 250+ Total
UK 2,163,610 359,505 75,795 2,598,910 11,625 2,610,535
Salford 6,290 1,285 295 7,870 60 7,930

3. Most important:
Friends/family.
Not included in this summary:
Accountant, solicitor, etc. etc.
Your university/school/college and groups aimed specifically at students.
Housing associations.
Trade associations, networking groups, FSB, CBI, European Fisheries Fund,
Northwest Aerospace Alliance, rural enterprise, recruitment.
Oil companies. The taxman.
Many, many more.

4. Europe:
European Small Business Portal: www.ec.europa.eu/small-business/
Enterprise Europe Network: www.een.ec.europa.e/

5. UK:
BIS: www.bis.gov.uk
www.gov.uk
Business Link Helpline: 0845 600 9006. Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
StartUp Britain: www.startupbritain.org
‘A national campaign by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs’ ‘completely funded by
our private-sector sponsors (BT Business, Dell, Intel, Intuit, Iris and PayPal)’
British Library Business & IP Centre: www.bl.uk/bipc
Technology Strategy Board: www.innovateuk.org
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI): www.ukti.gov.uk

6. Local:
GM Chamber: www.gmchamber.co.uk
Solutions Group: www.economic-solutions.co.uk
Business Growth Hub: www.businessgrowthhub.com
Ask About Business: www.askaboutbusiness.org
Blue Orchid Management Consultants: The largest provider in Business Start
Up Support in the North West. www.theblueorchid.co.uk
The Business Group: www.thebusinessgroup.org
MIDAS: www.investinmanchester.com/property-search/
Salford City Council: http://www.visitsalford.info/locate/

7. Sector specific:
Creative England: A dedicated support agency for the creative industries outside
London. www.creativeengland.co.uk
pro•manchester: Corporate membership organisation representing the financial
and professional service community in and around Greater Manchester.
www.pro-manchester.co.uk
Arts Council: www.artscouncil.org.uk
Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS): consultancy support for manufacturing
businesses High Performance Purchasing. www.mymas.org
North West Textile Network: www.nwtexnet.co.uk
British Retail Consortium etc. etc.

8. Tailored support:
The Women’s Organisation: www.thewomensorganisation.org.uk
Prowess 2.0: www.prowess.org.uk
Startup: www.startupnow.org.uk
The Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise: www.prime.org.uk
New Enterprise Allowance.
ELIE: www.elie-project.eu

9. Carbon Trust: www.carbontrust.com
The Guardian small business network: www.guardian.co.uk/small-business-
network
UnLtd: www.unltd.org.uk
Locality: www.locality.org.uk
Co-operatives North West: www.cooperatives-nw.coop
Co-operative Enterprise Hub: www.co-operative.coop/enterprisehub
Social Enterprise UK: www.socialenterprise.org.uk

10. CAN: www.can-online.org.uk
Social Enterprise Northwest: www.senw.org.uk
Growth Accelerator: www.growthaccelerator.com
Mentorsme: www.mentorsme.co.uk
RBS Inspiring Enterprise: www.inspiringenterprise.rbs.com
Co-op Bank, Lloyds, HSBC etc. etc.

11. Grants/funding:
Funding Central: www.fundingcentral.org.uk
Access to Finance (A2F): www.a2fnw.co.uk
Charles Camilleri Foundation: www.charlescamilleri.org
The Social Investment Business Group: www.sibgroup.org.uk
The North West Fund: www.thenorthwestfund.co.uk
Social finance, business angels, crowd funding, start-up loans, etc. etc.

12. www.thebusinessgroup.org