The Growth Hub to be unveiled at Oxstalls Campus this September

The Growth Hub – a pioneering partnership between GFirst LEP (the Local Enterprise Partnership for Gloucestershire) and the University of Gloucestershire – will open its doors in September this year based at the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls Campus. The Growth Hub will be in a completely refurbished space designed with business in mind.

The Growth Hub – a pioneering partnership between GFirst LEP (the Local Enterprise Partnership for Gloucestershire) and the University of Gloucestershire – will open its doors in September this year based at the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls Campus. The Growth Hub will be in a completely refurbished space designed with business in mind. 

The Growth Hub brings together the University’s Business Development Team and the GFirst LEP team. The space will have flexible meeting spaces, the latest technology and access to all of the services and support businesses might need. 

Laura Crabb, Business Development Director at the University of Gloucestershire said: “Our Oxstalls Campus is exactly the right place for the Growth Hub to be. It is right for business because the campus is modern, very accessible and the redesign will ensure it has the very latest facilities. And it is right for University students and staff because we want to bring businesses closer and for them to be right at the heart of University life.

“The Growth Hub is an ambitious project, but it really is something different for Gloucestershire’s businesses. The important stage now is to ensure our services are right for the business community and to build on the great work that the University is already doing with business.”

David Owen, Chief Executive, GFirst LEP commented: “The Growth Hub is going to be great for every business in the county. It isn’t going to take over all services to business; it will be a network to reach the right support and a marketplace for businesses to reach new customers. It’s about making business support simpler and more engaging. And it’s about promoting growth and improving the economic performance of the entire county.”

About the Growth Hub

The Growth Hub is a pioneering partnership between GFirst LEP (the Local Enterprise Partnership for Gloucestershire) and the University of Gloucestershire. The Growth Hub will provide a range of innovative and tailored business services designed to boost the development of companies with high growth potential, increase exports, and fast-track entrepreneurial start-ups. It is aimed at helping ambitious business people to realise their growth potential by offering access to a range of practical services, from assessing growth options to unlocking finance or accessing experienced business mentors.

The plans have secured £7million of funding including Government support in the form of £2.7 million invested by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).  The University successfully applied for support from the HEFCE Catalyst Fund, which supports Universities to undertake strategic innovation.

The Growth Hub will be the place to go for businesses, offering a diverse range of co-ordinated services. It will provide a tailored business service for those companies and start-ups with a potential for high growth. The Growth Hub will provide a free diagnosis of what a business needs to build an understanding of a company’s specific goals, drivers and requirements and working with the business to formulate a tailored package of support.

For more information about the Growth Hub please visit www.thegrowthhub.biz