The West Yorkshire Broadband Business Support Programme 2013-2015
The Broadband Business Support Programme has been developed to help local firms exploit the many competitive advantages that faster broadband provides – using the large scale investment taking place in upgrading the digital infrastructure as a catalyst to generating sustainable business growth for local firms.
The aim of the Programme is to help local businesses to use IT and faster broadband more effectively, to improve their overall business performance and;
- to increase their sales and profitability by exploiting digital sales and marketing channels
- expand their capacity and productivity by introducing new systems that automate their business processes, where applicable
- enhancing their communication with suppliers and customers by developing and enhancing their website
- learning to use social media effectively to raise their business profile and to engage more with their customers
- develop and customise mobile applications to build their customer base
and, in overall terms, to increase their level of awareness of alternative and emerging digital technologies which could help their business to achieve higher levels of growth and development.
Delivery of the programme is scheduled to commence in December 2013 and to be completed by the summer of 2015 (approximately 18 months).
The Programme is funded under Priority 2 of ERDF and will be targeting established SME businesses with high growth potential in the following sectors;-
- Creative & Digital Industries
- Advanced Engineering & Metals, including manufacturing companies
- Food and Drink
- Bioscience
- Chemicals
- Environmental Technologies
- Healthcare Technologies.
In addition, as the Programme is funded by ERDF (EU funding) the outputs to be achieved under our grant agreement include the following;
- - 350 eligible SMEs assisted with 12 hours of intensive business support
- - 1,000 businesses accessing new or improved broadband services
- - 600 businesses improving capability and performance
- - 350 new jobs created (gross)
- - £15.7m increase in GVA (gross)
We are currently in the process of recruiting a Business Support partner who will deliver this programme on our behalf. Overall, the programme will aim to provide a comprehensive range of broadband business support services to local firms in the West Yorkshire area.
A variety of channels will be used to engage eligible SMEs across West Yorkshire including business seminars, promotional events/road shows, conferences and also digital/social media channels.
Our appointed business support delivery partner will be working closely with each of the five local authorities and their network of partners to attract client firms across West Yorkshire to participate in the programme.
If you are interested in receiving more information about this Programme or would like to discuss it in more detail please contact us at;
We will be in touch.