Liverpool City Region Business Support Showcase

We are pleased to invite start up and growing businesses from Liverpool City Region wanting to harness their entrepreneurial ambition and grow their enterprises to join us to network, be inspired and connect to local funded business support .

You will be able to find out more about the new line up of business support services funded by UK Shared Prosperity Fund including:

• Business Support Service – Support for Start Ups and Established businesses delivered by the six City Region Local Authorities
• Innovation Sprint Programme and Leadership for Growth Programme – delivered by Edge Hill University
• Growth Catalyst – delivered by University of Liverpool
• Export – Support for businesses to export delivered by Growth Platform
• Supply Chain – Procurement and supply chain support delivered by Growth Platform
• Low Carbon Eco Innovatory – delivered by Liverpool John Moores University
• Kindred – Support for socially trading organisations
• Horizons – Innovation support led by University of Liverpool in collaboration with Edge Hill University and LJMU

Our Local Growth Hub service will also be on hand to tell you about wider support available for your business.

You will hear from inspiring entrepreneur Josephine Fairley who took her back bedroom start up to becoming a global brand bought out by Cadbury’s, and understand what it takes to build business success.

A panel of local experts will share insights on the opportunities and challenges facing businesses in Liverpool City Region in 2024 and beyond.

What to expect

• Opportunity for networking with businesses from LCR
• Time to browse a marketplace of UKSPF Programme Providers to find out more about funded support that can help your business
• Keynote talk from Entrepreneur Josephine Fairley on her start up, growth and selling on journey for Green and Blacks Chocolate.
• Panel discussion to deep dive into business challenges and opportunities in LCR this year and in the coming years

About Keynote – Jo Fairley

Leaving school at 16 with six ‘O’ Levels, through hard work and determination Jo Fairley went on to become the UK’s youngest-ever magazine editor, setting out on her entrepreneurial journey in 1991 when she co-founded Green & Black’s Chocolate, now approaching a £100 million a year brand, bought by Cadburys.

Green & Black’s was born in a recession from Jo’s back bedroom.

Jo says “It made us lean, agile, quick-thinking, creative and conscious of not wasting a single penny in the budget. Those are the very skills that businesses need, moving forward. In addition, we had strong values embedded in our company’s DNA from the word ‘go’ – and despite these financially challenging times, many more individuals are nevertheless opting to support businesses which show they care – about people and planet, as well as profit.”

The success of Green & Black's has enabled Jo to become a serial entrepreneur, via an award-winning organic and natural food store/bakery (Judges Bakery), The Wellington Centre (a boutique nine-room wellbeing centre) – both in her home town of Hastings – and most recently The Perfume Society, which sets out to help individuals develop their sense of smell via exploration of fragrance and the scented world.

Jo now travels the world speaking to audiences on sustainable business, leadership, women in business, change management and entrepreneurialism.

Host or Publisher Growth Platform