Elevator wins Tayside Business Gateway contract

Elevator wins Tayside Business Gateway contract

Elevator has been awarded a new £6million contract to deliver support for local businesses throughout the Angus, Perth & Kinross and Dundee regions over the next five years.

The contract will see Elevator – Scotland’s leading social enterprise in Scotland for work on entrepreneurship, enterprise and employability – continue the delivery of Business Gateway services across the three local authority areas, as it has been doing since 2007.

The new contract shows the strength of the councils’ commitment to supporting local businesses, and the investment will bring benefits in employment and improvements for the local economy. The region already has a strong start-up culture and it is important to build on this so that new businesses can stimulate local economic growth in addition to selling their goods and services across the globe.

Business Gateway is a national service supporting start-ups and growing businesses offering free advice, business training and access to information delivered by different business support agencies in different regions, with Elevator covering 25% of this delivery throughout Scotland.

Elevator employs 17 members of staff in the delivery of Business Gateway services across Tayside, with offices in Perth and Dundee; Angus services are provided in conjunction with Dundee and Angus College’s Centre for Enterprise facilities in Arbroath.

They receive around 2,100 start-up enquiries each year, of which it is anticipated that some 720 new businesses will be formed. In addition to start ups, Elevator expects to assist a high number of established businesses in the forthcoming year through tailored workshops, information and networking opportunities. Approximately 150 businesses per annum will gain access to specific growth support to help them enter new markets, develop new products and secure investment.

Elevator Director Andrew Burnett said the award of the contract comes at a time of great investment across the region and plays an important part in the delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy.

“Tayside is currently embarking on one of the most significant phases of economic opportunity that it has ever seen. New developments across several key sectors including tourism, hospitality and food and drink coupled with existing strengths in software, energy and life sciences will likely see the region increase its prominence on both national and international stages.

“Elevator is exceptionally pleased to be continuing its involvement in supporting the future prosperity of the region. The next Business Gateway contract will see Elevator providing fully funded business advice, training and information to some 3,600 new start-ups across Angus, Perth and Kinross and Dundee with intensive business growth assistance provided to over 500 of the region’s most ambitious businesses.

“Business Gateway is expected to complement other Elevator initiatives currently underway across Tayside, including the delivery of enterprise coaching within schools, and higher education. 2017 will also see Elevator expand its network of Business Accelerators with Dundee providing the base for the region’s first such facility.”

Dundee City Council’s development convener Councillor Lynne Short said: “I am delighted that Elevator has won this contract. It is really important for the future of the area to grow entrepreneurship in Dundee so that more people can take advantage of new opportunities. There is a great feeling of optimism about Dundee and its economy. I want people to be able to aim for new goals, and the Business Gateway service in Tayside delivered by Elevator is a great way of supporting them to do this in business.”

If you have a business idea you'd like to get started, get in touch with the Business Gateway Tayside team now on 01382 443400.