Following on from the roadshow at Molineux Stadium on April 8 here is a heads up on a couple of the key takeaways from the morning.

Our UKSPF SME grant programme has now gone live with the window for submitting Expressions of Interest open until April 29. For further details please see here

At the roadshow, colleagues from Innovate UK, Oxford Innovations, Wolverhampton University, Creative UK, Pro Enviro and City of Wolverhampton College shared their business support offer. To navigate your way around that offer, and the numerous other business support programmes we would recommend you contact one of our team for a free a business diagnostic. Submit your request via the form on this link 

Join us on May 21 for the first in our 2025 series of workshops with Innovate UK Business Growth. An Innovate UK senior consultant will explore what we mean by innovation, how your business could be more innovative, what difference an innovative mindset makes, and what support and funding is available.

Innovate UK Business Growth is the Innovate UK agency's resource for innovative businesses from any sector who are ambitious grow.

To book a place please click here

The workshop starts with refreshments and a breakfast bap and concludes with an opportunity for a follow on 1-2-1 session that morning with an Innovate UK advisor, or booking for a later date.

Launching in June our Wolverhampton Mentoring Programme may be just right for you if you are a sole trader or employ less than 5 people and have been trading for less than 3 years.​

​It will feature 

- A diverse, multi-sector pool of local business leaders acting as mentors that will speak at monthly networking events and share their business journeys, experiences, challenges and lessons learned along the way.​

 - A rolling programme of quarterly events featuring representatives from national mentoring programmes and other organisations that offer start-up support.​

​- Monthly newsletters sent out to businesses engaging with the scheme that will feature the latest news from the regional and national programmes and short articles from the mentors sharing top tips and advice.

To register your interest in joining the programme please email the team at business.development@wolverhampton.gov.uk

If you're just beginning, building on early successes, or seeking to expand into new markets, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce's ‘Exporting Starts Here Programme’ sets out to provide free support to help you grow your business globally.

Get tailored advice from export advisors who will guide you from market research to strategic planning, ensuring impactful, sustainable growth in new and existing markets. With expert support, you'll be guided through challenges, overcome barriers, and gain practical and legal assistance for all aspects of exporting. The programme also offers a robust series of workshops designed to equip businesses with essential skills for international success. Topics include staff upskilling for global expansion, ATA Carnet guidance, customs declarations, export documentation, customs audit preparation, international e-commerce growth, and insights into rules of origin and free trade agreements.

For more information please click here 

The Department for Business and Trade’s UK Export Academy is running a one hour Masterclass webinar ‘US Tariffs: Practical impacts and explanations’ on Monday 28 April at 2pm

Keeping up to date on all of the developments on the rapidly changing subject of the tariff announcements made by the US government is presenting a significant challenge to UK businesses, with many wondering how to navigate the new rules at this time.

Whether you are a UK manufacturer or selling via eCommerce, this webinar will offer practical advice and explanations about the impacts of this ever changing landscape.

To book a place and or register with the Academy please click here

The law in England is changing and this means that all workplaces (businesses and non-domestic premises) now have a legal duty to recycle certain materials. The change, known as Simpler Recycling, is being introduced in two phases:

* By 31 March 2025 if you have 10 or more full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.

* By 31 March 2027 if there are fewer than 10 FTE employees in total across all of your premises.

From these dates, businesses will need to recycle the following materials: glass, metals, plastic, paper and cardboard (can be mixed in one bin) as well as food waste. The change has been introduced by the Government with the aim of creating a consistent approach to recycling across England.

For more information, contact the council’s trade waste team on 01902 551173,

If you have any queries relating to business support, growing your business, or some of the challenges you are facing, then please call the council's Business Support helpline on 01902 555572 or complete the online enquiry form here

To support your business enquiry and growth our team can conduct a free business diagnostic and connect you quickly to the right support.