UK government invests £17m in new NI Enterprise Support Service

13 November 2023

Entrepreneurs and businesses encouraged to ‘Go Succeed’ with groundbreaking new Northern Ireland Enterprise Support Service launched to help drive local and regional economy

 

A major new Enterprise Support Service – ‘Go Succeed’ – was officially revealed today, kickstarting this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Funded by the UK Government and powered by the government’s Levelling Up Fund, Go Succeed represents a multi-million-pound investment in local entrepreneurs and businesses. It will provide a holistic approach to government support services with a greater focus on providing a tailored service to suit individual needs in a bid to foster enterprise across the region.

Promising to support entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses across Northern Ireland, Go Succeed offers easy-to-access advice and support at every stage of their growth journey. 

Led by Northern Ireland’s 11 local Councils, the service will deliver flexible support to service users, including mentoring, masterclasses, peer networks, access to grant funding and a business plan.

Speaking on behalf of all 11 councils delivering the new service, John Walsh, Chief Executive of Belfast City Council said:

“The Department for the Economy’s ‘10X Economy’ – an economic vision for a decade of innovation – outlines how SMEs can play a vital role in developing the success of NI as a competitive economy.

 

“Go Succeed directly supports this goal – targeting potential entrepreneurs, new starts and existing small businesses and providing them with flexible, tailored and easily accessible advice and support at all stages of their journey to help them grow and, in turn, create new jobs and opportunities for residents.

 “By working together across all our council areas, we hope to embed Northern Ireland’s position as an innovative and growing hub for business and as a great place to live, visit, work, study and invest.”

 

The new service has been informed by research undertaken by a range of expertise in the field of enterprise development who provided solutions on the types of interventions that might be

required to ‘move the dial’ for the Northern Ireland local economy relating to levels of business start-ups, productivity, access to innovation and levels of export. These recommendations provided the foundation for the new service, Go Succeed.

 

Dr Pragya Sharma, a medical biochemist and founder of and director of Gran Lab, who took part in a panel discussion at the launch event, said:

“I am honoured to play a part in the launch of Go Succeed. It will without doubt offer every interested business the key to success. No matter what stage you are at – whether you are an entrepreneur with a business idea, or you’re a start-up, or have an established business you’d like to grow – Go Succeed can help. It is a very exciting time for the business community of Northern Ireland.”

Gran Lab specialises in making steroid-free, colour-inclusive formulations to treat the symptoms of psoriasis and eczema.

From Tuesday 14^th November, a series of regional information workshops will be held in each Council area, as below:

Council	Date / Time	Location
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council	27th November, 12:00pm to 1:00pm	Craigavon Civic Centre
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council	Thursday 16th November, 10:30am to 12:00pm	Bann Gallery, Civic Headquarters in Coleraine
Derry City and Strabane District Council	Thursday 30th November, 10:00am -12:00pm	The Playhouse
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council	Thursday 30th November, 9:00am to 11:00am	Strule Arts Centre in Omagh
Lisburn Castlereagh Council	Tuesday 28th November	Lagan Valley Island Lisburn
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council	Friday 17th November, 10:30am to 1:00pm	Hillmount House in Larne
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council	Tuesday 14th November, 5:30pm to 7:00pm	Killeavy Caste Estate

 

For more information, visit www.go-succeed.com