Grow your business

If you're planning expansion or investment in Middlesbrough, you can contact Invest in Middlesbrough using the business support enquiry form.

A range of support advice and grant support is available for SMEs through the Tees Valley Business Hub. Advisers can work with your business to complete a full assessment of what your business needs to grow. This includes energy efficiency improvements, up-skilling of staff / managers / owners, digitisation of your business, capital growth grants, and exporting your products and services.

Tees Valley Business offer business support for new and growing businesses, as well as a directory of professional business services.

Middlesbrough Libraries in partnership with Business and IP Centre Tees Valley offer free one-to-one support every Tuesday to start-ups and existing businesses. The services available include:

• business mentoring
• intellectual property awareness (copyright, trademarks, designs, patents)
• access to a wide range of online databases including: market research, grant finder, business factsheets, premises identifier

Visit the Business and IP Centre Tees Valley website to find out how to make an appointment.

If you're a larger company looking to invest in Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough Council provides further information about the town and area.

If you're looking to expand your business by taking on new employees, Tees Valley Combined Authority offers apprenticeship support for employers.

Your local Jobcentre Plus (JCP) offers an extensive range of free services to assist business growth, including HR advice and a recruitment service to help your business take on staff under work experience placements, apprenticeships, and work trials. You can contact the Employer Engagement Advisor at Middlesbrough's Jobcentre Plus on 01642 398557.

Middlesbrough College and The Forge at Teesside University can work with you to recruit apprentices and graduates, as well as offer work experience placements and internship opportunities.

Support from Middlesbrough Community Learning

Middlesbrough Community Learning is Middlesbrough Council's apprenticeship, adult learning, and employability service. It offers free advice and support, as well as a range of training and qualifications.

This includes:

• apprenticeships and apprenticeship funding for new and existing staff
• digital skills training and qualifications (classroom-based and online)
• Functional Skills English and Maths qualifications (GCSE equivalent, both classroom-based and online)
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
• health and wellbeing
• recruitment events and campaigns
• training linked to local job sectors, for example catering, hospitality, cleaning, and health and social care
• work experience opportunities with Middlesbrough Council

To find out more, contact Middlesbrough Community Learning on 01642 811400 or email info@mcls.ac.uk.

If you're looking to expand your premises, grow or relocate into Middlesbrough you can look at council premises/land available to rent or search a variety of commercial agents to discuss your specific needs.

There are various methods of marketing you can use to grow your presence, including advertising, sponsorship, writing press releases, and digital marketing (social media, email newsletters, etc.). More information on marketing your business can be found online on the Marketing Your Small Business For Dummies cheat sheet.

Attending networking events provides a wide range of opportunities to build up your contacts and expand into new markets. The Invest in Middlesbrough website lists upcoming business events. Organisations which provide business support may have mailing lists you can sign up for, to find out about events, as well as news and advice.

If you can offer a service or product to the council, you can visit the commissioning and procurement section to find contract tender details and our Buy Boro directory.