Business Support & Advice

Are you a business based in Greater Manchester looking to develop the necessary skills to grow? 

GM Skills Map has thousands of training opportunities that can support you wherever you are on your business journey. There are a wide range of skills available, offering you flexibility that suit your training budget, location and delivery preference

Home (gmskillsmap.co.uk)

Provides access through libraries to business information for:

• pre-start and new businesses
• existing business
• jobseekers
• consumers
• inventors
• business students

Business Compliance Support offers free regulatory and compliance support and signposting to small and medium businesses across Greater Manchester, allowing them more time to focus on growth.

The service works alongside existing regulatory services teams providing support on environmental health, trading standards and licensing regulatory functions for businesses and includes support with food safety, product safety and labelling, fair trading, consumer rights, food labelling and premises licensing.

Find out more by visiting www.gmbcs.co.uk or email info@gmbcs.co.uk

Provide business support to companies of all shapes and sizes, through a range of sector-based membership services and networking opportunities.

Web: Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

Combines expert research and knowledge in growing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The Centre provides a wealth of business support services, including training and development specifically for SMEs based in the North West of England.

Web: Centre for Enterprise | Manchester Metropolitan University (mmu.ac.uk)

The world's largest free business accelerator for early stage and growing ventures.

Web: Entrepreneurial Spark.

Providing training, networking and ongoing opportunities for social entrepreneurs in the North West.

Web: The SSE - School for Social Entrepreneurs.

Building a greener, net zero economy, powered by local suppliers

Bury based suppliers and installers of green technology products and services can access new sales opportunities and expert support - fully funded by local partners.

Web: Green Economy | Suppliers: Energy heat & solar installers

Start your journey to net zero

Get support to decarbonise, reduce energy costs and to identify local experts to deliver your transition to net zero. 

Web: Green Economy | Buyers: Renewable energy, Climate change

Alliance MBS is one of the world's leading business schools with six global hubs and attracts the most talented executives to world class leadership programmes.

Web: Alliance Manchester Business School UK - Undergraduate, Graduate & MBA Degrees | Alliance MBS

Strategic Talent Partnerships

Every organisation faces unique challenges and objectives. A Strategic Talent Partnership with Alliance Manchester Business School gives you access to expert resources and talent to help you future proof your success.

Web: Strategic Talent Partnerships | Alliance MBS (manchester.ac.uk)

A free, online, and on-demand training resource with business modules curated by Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Manchester, University of Salford and University of Bolton.

Weblink: Small Business Support - Open SME

At the University of Bolton, they pride themselves on being different. They have a diverse and non-traditional student demographic, and they have years of experience of collaborating with businesses, public sector organisations and charities, applying their knowledge to deliver real support and impact.

UOB are keen to grow their industry connections to continue to make their teaching reflective of the challenges and real-world problems that businesses face day-to-day. 

Web: University Group Business Services | University of Bolton

Innovate UK EDGE is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s deep investment in the pioneering businesses that drive economic growth. It is a publicly-funded service available to all high potential small to medium sized innovation-driven companies, including Innovate UK grant winners.

Web: Innovate UK EDGE (ukri.org)

Greater Manchester Digital Security Hub

Barclays are bringing together experts in digital and cyber security from the public, private and academic sectors to help Greater Manchester’s digital security startups to innovate and grow.

Manchester City Council has selected a consortium led by Barclays Eagle Labs to operate the new Greater Manchester Digital Security Hub (DiSH). DiSH offers growing digital security businesses and the wider Greater Manchester community with access to business support, mentoring, dedicated growth programmes, training, and career opportunities through a consortium of Barclays Eagle Labs, Plexal, Lancaster University and The University of Manchester.

Web: Greater Manchester Digital Security Hub | Greater Manchester Digital Security Hub (DiSH) (uk.barclays)

Better Business for All (BBfA) is a government scheme designed to create partnerships between businesses and regulators with one key aim – to help businesses get regulation right first time.

It can prove difficult to explain regulation and why it’s so important. So the BBfA partnership has been examining how regulators currently communicate with private industry, and how services can be improved to address the issues facing local businesses.

Web: Business – BBFA

Self Service Business Support Portal

Helping with your business's support & funding requirements

Designed to help business owners navigate the landscape of publicly backed business support in Greater Manchester.

Not only that but the Growth Hub has recently added in a number of private sector investment funds and angel networks to support you in your funding journey.

By answering a few simple questions, they can identify what support and funding is available for your business, based on your individual business needs and goals.

Support for Your Business | Business Support Finder

Business Companion offers free, impartial legal guidance for businesses.

Web: Business Companion.

Responsible Business Network, businesses coming together to tackle a wide range of issues that are essential to building a fairer society and a more sustainable future.

Web: Business in the Community.

For established businesses.

Web: Gov.uk - Business and self-employed.

Help people start and grow their businesses by putting them in touch with other business owners, by providing access to the best tools and resources, and by sharing their own knowledge.

Web: Enterprise Nation.

The 10,000 Small Businesses programme, for a business or commercially-focused social enterprise that has been trading for at least 12 months, employs between 5 - 40 staff and is scalable and poised for growth.

Web: Goldman Sachs - 10,000 Small Businesses.

HM Revenue & Customs offers a free e-learning tool that advises on the tax and National Insurance issues involved in starting your own business. The package includes learning checks and videos as well as links to further advice on YouTube and the Gov.uk web sites.

Web: Gov.uk - HM Revenues and Customs.

Step by step guide to Starting and Finance a New Business.

Web: ICAS - The professional body of CAs.

A Government website matching businesses with mentors.

Web: Mentors Me.

A National charity supporting young people to start a business.

Web: Princes Trust.

Shell LiveWIRE is the UK's largest online community for young entrepreneurs aged 16 to 30. You can get information about the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, plus a wide range of free articles, tools and resources that will get you started.

Web: Live Wire Shell.

Government exporting site.

Web: Gov.uk - UK Trade Investment

Help businesses get funding, get a mentor and get ahead.

Web: Virgin Startup.

X-Forces support service leavers and their families to start up businesses across the UK with Government backed Start up Loans, mentoring and support.

Web: X Forces.

Barclays Scale Up UK Programme

The Barclays Scale Up UK Programme addresses the core challenges businesses, founders and their senior management teams face in scaling, by providing a bespoke, hands-on approach to help you accelerate your business' growth.

Web: Barclays Scale Up UK Programme (home.barclays)

A key priority for Bury Council is to work with the business community. We recognise that our business base is the key to building economic growth right across our townships, and that business growth will have a direct benefit for everybody.

We want to communicate with you through our Bury Means Business Bulletin. The content will vary, ranging from national, regional and local business news, to key messages we would like to share with you.

Complete our short Business information bulletin online form to start receiving the Bury Means Business Bulletin.