Business Support
Often knowing where to turn for help and advice for your business can make a huge difference. On this page we endeavour to provide you with some of those links.
Business Link South East
Business Link South East and Maidstone Borough Council work closely together to provide a free business advice and support service. Regular clinics/appointments with Business Link advisors are held in the new public services Gateway at the top of King Street...
Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce provides start up advice in Maidstone, as well as networking opportunities and membership benefits including specialist business support and financial incentives...
Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS)
Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) is the leading advisor for the manufacturing sector, with practical, hands-on support focused on improving your bottom line. ...
The Princes Trust - Helps Change Young Lives
The Prince’s Trust aims to help young people by giving practical and financial support to those who need it most. ...
Federation of Small Businesses
The Federation of Small Businesses is the UK's largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has 213,000 members across 33 regions and 194 branches. ...
PRIME - 50+ Self Employment & Enterprise
PRIME is the only national organisation dedicated to helping older people start and run their own businesses...
Business First - Fresh talent to help businesses beat the recession
Run by Canterbury Christ Church University, in partnership with the Universities of Kent, Greenwich and the Creative Arts, Business First aims to assist you to benefit from a student placement as a great way to get a competitive edge for your organisation. More .....
Apprenticeships - Opening Doors for a Better Future
Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes, leading to a nationally recognised qualification, developed by the industry. Most of the training is ‘on the job’ at your premises and the rest is provided by a local college or by a specialist learning provider, or you could deliver everything yourself...
Intellectual Property Office - Should you patent it?
Intellectual property covers patents, registered trade marks registered designs, design right and copyright. Like any other form of property of business assets, it can be bought or sold, rented or hired. ...
UK Trade and Industry - Tradeshow Access Programme
Taking part in overseas exhibitions is an effective way for you to test markets, attract customers, appoint agents or distributors and make sales. UKTI’s Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) provides grant support for eligible SME firms to attend trade shows overseas. ...
KTP
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) is a UK-wide programme enabling businesses to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance. KTP achieves this through the forming of a Partnership between your business and an academic institution (such as university, further education college or research and technology organisation),...
European Small Business Portal
Want to find out what the EU does to boost small businesses in Europe and on the global market, and what it can do for your business? ...
CompeteFor
CompeteFor is a free service that enables businesses to compete for contract opportunities linked to the London 2012 Games and other major public and private sector buying organisations...
South East Business Carbon Hub
The South East Business Carbon Hub offers a free service which takes you through an easy step-by-step guide to measuring and reducing the carbon footprint of your business. ...
South East Business Innovation and Growth Teams
South East Business Innovation and Growth Teams are focused on supporting innovative businesses of all sizes with demonstrable growth or high growth potential. Ideally, companies should display certain characteristics, such as strong aspirations and positive attitude of the founder or leadership team,...
Sources of Finance
Prime - Sources of Funding for the 50+ Self Employment & Enterprise
PRIME is the only national organisation dedicated to helping older people start and run their own businesses. A third of those aged between 50 and state pension age are not working, with the large percentage dependent on benefits...
Kent 4 Business - The business support funding website for the Kent area.
Search for grants, special loans and awards that your business or start-up may be eligible for. All you have to do is select from the options on their website. Kent 4 Business. ...
RDPE Leader Programme
The RDPE Leader Programme is a European Union rural funding approach, with grant money available to rural businesses and communities from late 2008 until 2013...
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