Innovation experts release e-guide to help businesses in Oldham

A new e-guide has been released by GC Business Growth Hub to help businesses in Oldham turn their ideas into sales.

The new guide ‘Unleashing your innovation’ reveals that from October 2015 to April 2021 the Hub provided 2,600 SMEs with innovation specific support across the city region.

It helped to create 467 jobs and introduce 132 new products to the market over the same period.

The Hub team supports SMEs across the region to innovate, in sectors including manufacturing, health, digital and creative.

Now more businesses are being urged to access fully-funded expertise, specialist support and facilities, and innovation funding.

GC Business Growth Hub is part of The Growth Company and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Yvonne Grady, Head of Innovation at the Hub, said: “Our region leads the way with innovation and our team is here to help businesses get new ideas moving.

“The pandemic hasn’t stopped innovation and our new e-guide is a great place to start if you are wondering how to challenge the status quo.

“Our support is available for established small to medium sized businesses in Oldham and across the city region.

“We understand the difficulties in developing products and services, and we are here to help businesses overcome these challenges, make changes and grow.”

The eight-page guide highlights the factors firms need to consider on their innovation journey, and the facilities and fully-funded support that are available to them.

Businesses which the Hub has helped are also featured, including Bury-based food wholesaler Dunsters Farm.

With the help of the Hub’s digital innovation experts, Dunsters Farm was able to pivot in the pandemic to introduce a successful e-commerce offer.

It is now working with Manchester Metropolitan University on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership to further improve productivity.

Managing Director Hannah Barlow said: “Working with the Hub has been the catalyst to potentially transforming our business.

"The Hub has so many resources available for businesses.”

The guide is available at: www.businessgrowthhub.com/innovation and the team can be contacted at: BGHinnovation@growthco.uk.

Businesses looking to access specialist support can visit: www.businessgrowthhub.com for more information about the organisation’s extensive range of services.

This and other GC Business Growth Hub projects are part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the GM Business Growth Hub project designed to help ambitious SME businesses achieve growth and increase employment in Greater Manchester.

The Hub is also supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester local authorities.

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