Business support and links

We offer a range of business support, from helping you to start a new business to accessing financial support. The Business & IP Centre (BIPC) at Jubilee Library offers access to resources and events to help you imagine, start or develop your business.

Business support

Looking for support for your business? We offer a range of business support, from helping you to start a new business to accessing financial support.

Business and IP Centre Brighton & Hove

Brighton and Hove City Libraries have developed a Business & IP Centre (BIPC) Sussex which is part of the British Library Business & IP Centre National Network. Entrepreneurs and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can take part in a programme of free and low cost events, one to ones and workshops. With a large collection of Business & IP databases, the BIPC can help you to learn new skills, research your customers, market, industry, discover potential IP and more.

Finding local business support and advice

Coast to Capital LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) fund the Growth Hub, a service aimed at providing support and advice to small medium enterprises. Account managers at the Growth Hub will provide an ongoing one to one service and identify any specialist support that may help businesses to overcome barriers they are facing. This service is open to any businesses that are located in Brighton & Hove.

In addition to this, the UK government business helpline is on hand to provide guidance to businesses that are starting out.

UK government business support, departments and offices

The UK government's Business Support Helpline offers free advice and guidance for new and existing businesses. You can choose a telephone appointment time and get up to 60 minutes of free, expert advice.

It has information on national and local business support schemes as well as details of financial packages to help businesses start and grow. A team of specialist advisors can provide a more in-depth, personalised service for complex business issues. 

Call 0800 998 1098 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)

The government also offers a business support finder tool for you to search for finance and support schemes that are offered across the country.

Growth Grant Programme 2018 to 2019

The Coast to Capital LEP area Growth Grant Programme is a capital equipment (capex) grant. The grant provides last resort investment to part-fund projects undertaken by innovative, high growth small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and social enterprises in the Coast to Capital LEP area. Eligible projects will result in an increased turnover of at least 20% per annum and improved productivity in the company and wider economy.

Applications from all sectors are welcome, but the Programme would particularly like to see applications from companies in the following sectors (identified as key for the Coast to Capital region economy):

  • Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing
  • Environmental Technologies, Goods and Services
  • Creative, Digital and IT (CDIT)
  • Healthcare, Medical Technology and Life Sciences
  • Professional and Business Services
  • Food and Drink Manufacturer

Businesses must be able to incur the total project costs in full by 31 March 2019. The grant may only be used for capital equipment items.

For more information on the eligibility criteria, please read the Expression of Interest (EOI) Guidance Note which can be found on the Coast 2 Capital website.

To discuss potential projects, please contact the Growth Hub Team:

Eligibility criteria and terms and conditions will apply.

If you require further information or assistance with the services on offer please send an email to economic.development@brighton-hove.gov.uk.