Business Support and Services

Business opportunities

Whether you run an established business or are a founder seeking investment and support, Norwich offers a wealth of opportunities to help your business thrive.

With a 43% startup retention rate, Norwich ranks among the highest-performing cities in the East of England, according to PwC’s 2024 Good Growth for Cities Index. Norfolk also has a better than UK average for survival of new businesses at 63% after 3 years, compared to the UK average of 56% (Local Growth Plan)

To help you get started, we’ve curated a selection of useful links and resources. From dynamic networking groups to funding opportunities and business support programmes—find the right tools to grow your business in Norwich.

Start up funding and grants

Business Support

No Limits
Develop your talent, discover opportunities to build your skills and secure investment for innovation. No Limits brings you the best initiatives from innovative organisations across the UK.
No Limits
Contracts for Innovation
Innovate UK Contracts for Innovation, formerly known as The Small Business Research Initiative or SBRI, offer innovative organisations the chance to work directly with the public sector to solve complex challenges.
Contracts for Innovation
Barclays Eagle Labs
Dedicated programmes designed to help your business grow. The Eagle labs focus on topics such as validating and designing a digital product, helping high-growth businesses increase their exposure to international markets, and championing diversity in entrepreneurship.
Barclays Eagle Labs
#START-UP Business Support – helping your business to 'start well
MENTA have a range of training options and support to help you and your business to start, grow and thrive. They offer workshops and 1-to-1 support on a wide range of topics to new and existing businesses across Suffolk and Norfolk.
START-UP Business Support
Start-up Connect
Through Innovate UK Start-up Connect, we put your business growth journey at the heart of how and when we support you.
Start-up Connect
Global Business Innovation Programme
Innovate UK’s Global Business Innovation Programme (GBIP) helps innovative SMEs to collaborate and explore global markets, accelerating business growth.
Global Business Inn. Programme
Innovation grant mentoring project
Do you have an idea worthy of Innovate UK funding, or need help with your application? Get mentoring and bid writing support to help you secure the funding you need to develop your project or idea.
Inn. grant mentoring project
Go Digital funding programme
Free digital business support available for small and medium sized businesses in Norfolk. Learn how to better use digital tools to identify business opportunities and help your business grow.
Go Digital

Networks

Whether you’re relocating a business to Norwich or making the move on your own, meeting the right people can make all the difference. The city is home to a rich web of professional networks, ready to welcome you, support your goals, and keep you connected to Norwich’s beating business heart. For individuals, they offer instant community and like-minded collaborators, and for companies they’re a sure-fire way to get your name known, grow your audience, and recruit new talent.

Professional Networks

Credit: University of East Anglia

Business Contacts

Akcela
Based in city centre business hub Fuel Studios, Akcela is a business consultancy and start-up incubator, bringing founders and entrepreneurs together to create a welcoming community. Its services include start-up incubation and consultancy, marketing and branding support, and technology implementation.
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BIPC Norfolk
Based in the Norwich Millennium Library, The Business and IP Centre can support you from the first spark of inspiration to successfully starting and developing a business.
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MENTA
MENTA offer free business support, training and advice to startup businesses across Suffolk and Norfolk. The business hubs can be found in Bury St. Edmunds, Brandon, Haverhill, Felixstowe and opening in 2024, Southwold.
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New Anglia Growth Hub
New Anglia Growth Hub can help your business access a range of business support services from hundreds of sources. The hub’s service is free and impartial and can help you access grants, finance, international trade support and other specialist advice.
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Norwich Business Improvement District
Positioning Norwich as one of Britain’s leading cities, Norwich Business Improvement District is run for local businesses by local businesses. Its overarching vision is to make a clear, positive impact on the vitality of the city centre and the success of the businesses within it.
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Norwich City Council
Norwich City Council is responsible for local services such as planning, housing, leisure and tourism across the city.
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The Norfolk Chambers of Commerce
The Norfolk Chambers of Commerce is a business membership organisation of members ranging from SMEs to global brands, representing voices on both a local and a national platform.
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UEA Business Clinic
The UEA Business Clinic has been set up by UEA Law Clinic to provide free advice to SMEs in Norfolk and Suffolk.
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UKRI Innovate UK
The UK’s innovation agency. They help UK businesses to grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive and easy to navigate.
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