Download Richard Jeffery, Director of Business Growth, GM Business Growth

Unlocking a new era of business
growth and productivity – spotlight
on innovation,
A Business Growth Hub Response
Richard Jeffery
Director of Business Growth
Tuesday 13 December 2016
Who we are…
Service response…
We help entrepreneurs and growing
businesses in Greater Manchester
with the skills and support they need
to succeed, through:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enquiries line
Networking/conferences
Online resources
One to one support
Industry/sector specific programmes
Workshops/masterclasses/clinics
Partnership networks
Making a positive difference
Looking to the future…
Identified challenges…
Survey headlines
Barriers to growth:
Support required:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of staff or skills 30%
Access to markets 27%
Accessing finance 22%
Access to broadband 14%
Inadequate strategy/planning 12%
Increasing sales via marketing 44%
Developing workforce 42%
Expanding the workforce 39%
Business growth advice 37%
Accessing finance 37%
A characteristic of growing businesses is that they seek external advice
Innovation headlines….
• Accessing finance - Low levels of understanding of R&D tax incentives
– 63% said they did not understand, only 10% did.
• Accessing knowledge – Low level of businesses accessing knowledge
from universities over the last three years (18%).
• Developing skills – of the 22% of businesses experiencing innovation
barriers, 7%, referenced in-house knowledge and skills, or structure for
identifying and managing innovation as an issue.
• Accessing new markets – Enabling more businesses to commercialise
Innovation. Exporters were more likely to be involved in innovative
activity (87% against 79% for non-exporters).
Key innovation actions…
•
•
•
•
•
Undertaking joint research to better understand
why tax incentive take up is not higher.
Collaborate with Innovate UK and businesses to
increase investment.
Building our collaboration with GM universities
to increase access.
Delivering a range of executive workshops to
support innovation management knowhow.
Supporting more businesses to access
international market opportunities, with DIT.
Practical example
Improving access to research facilities
• Jointly funded Business Development Roles with each GM university
• Embedded in both Growth Hub Innovation team and university teams
• Simplifying a route through the front door
• Breaking down barriers identified in the Dowling review
• Focus on relationship building between business and HEI
• Developing pipeline of research and innovation opportunities