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EU & Northern Powerhouse LogosFunded by the European Regional Development Fund

Boost your business with the Growth Hub

Boost is Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub, one of 38 Growth Hubs in the UK. Boost is led by Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire LEP and has supported over 8,000 businesses, helped create over 3,000 jobs while adding over £100m to the economy since 2013.

Why are we here?

As a Growth Hub, Boost’s mission is to work in partnership with ambitious Lancashire businesses to help them realise their growth potential, create jobs and boost the economy.

We do this by:

  • Bringing together and simplifying the local, regional and national support landscape, helping people in business find the right business support at the right time.
  • Providing a range of funded business support programmes delivered by world-class experts.
  • Connecting Lancashire’s business community and creating a catalyst for rewarding relationships.
  • Working collaboratively across the private and public sectors to help businesses unlock the barriers to growth

What does Boost deliver?

Through the funded Boost service, businesses and their leaders get access to the following support:

  • A dedicated service that gives businesses a comprehensive guide to available local, regional and national business support programmes, and advice on what support may be applicable to your business
  • A funded programme for start-up and early-stage businesses called Flying Start
  • A funded growth programme for scaleup businesses called Boost Bespoke
  • Access to an experienced mentor through our Growth Mentoring service
  • Guidance on what private sector business support is available and access to other relevant networks and membership groups
  • Information on new national business support programmes
  • A dedicated business adviser that will keep in contact with you during your growth journey
  • Information on useful events in Lancashire
  • Access to regular tips, advice and inspiration through our website
  • An online database of business support providers and events

Our Growth Support Service team is here to help





    “The help we have received from Boost has been fantastic, second to none.”

    “When an outsider comes into your business when it’s already quite successful, that can be difficult. Sometimes you can think you know better but the help we have received has made it easier for me and the whole business. It’s helped us work closer together.”

    Alan Lingwood, Lingwood Security

    What businesses are eligible for Boost?

    Our Growth Hub services and programmes are available to growth-hungry Lancashire-based SMEs. Our Flying Start programme is available to Lancashire-based ambitious individuals and SME businesses less than three years old, and our Boost Bespoke programme is open to Lancashire-based SMEs more than three years old and with more than 10 staff.

    Our Growth Mentoring service is available to people running and leading SME businesses more than three years old.

    Boost works with businesses of all sizes from newly formed ventures to well established organisations employing over 100 staff.

    A Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) must employ fewer than 250 full-time people with a turnover of less than €50m or balance sheet of €43m.

    The Growth Hub service and programmes are available to most sectors in Lancashire but as the programme in funded by the European Regional Development Fund some sector restrictions apply.

    Businesses that received Boost support between January 2019 and December 2021 (Boost 3) may be unable to access certain Boost services during the current programme (Boost 4 – between January 2022 and September 2023).

    Our Boost Relationship Management team can help you understand our eligibility criteria as well as making sure you find the right support for your business.

     

    Who delivers Boost?

    Boost is led and administered by Lancashire County Council. Our Business Relationship Management service is delivered by Growth Lancashire, while Winning Pitch delivers our Flying Start and Boost Bespoke Programmes. Our Growth Mentoring programme is delivered by Small Business Academy, while our Central Marketing is managed by Freshfield.

    How does Boost work?

    Contact Boost on 0800 488 0057 or complete the form on this page and a member of our team will contact you for an initial discussion. We will book an appointment for one of our advisers to come out and meet you at your premises, a mutually convenient location or online via your preferred technology platform.

    We will discuss your objectives, challenges and opportunities for business support and help you to develop a tailored action plan for your business. They will then introduce you to relevant business support providers and check in with you regularly to see how you’re progressing with your plan as well as introducing additional support to help you on your growth journey.

    Our history and funding

    Boost was established in 2013 and there have been four phases of Boost.

    In December 2021, Boost secured £3.2m of new funding to run for a further 18 months from January 2022, the fourth phase of Boost. Boost has received £1.9m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

    The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union, ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.

    For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.

    Meet the team

    Meet our experienced Boost business relationship managers.

    Meet the team

    Business Support

    Discover the range of business support available for your business through Boost.

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    Our Growth Support Service team is here to help

    Would you like to find out more about the excellent business support available to you? Or maybe you’d like to find out how we’ve helped over 8,000 businesses since 2013? Contact our team to start your growth conversation.

    Complete our quick form
    Call: 0800 488 0057

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    Working with and supported by:

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