New support for firms forced to close by law because of coronavirus restrictions announced this afternoon by Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been welcomed by Business West, the organisation behind Bristol Chamber of Commerce. The scheme, under which the government will pay two-thirds of the wages of staff working for...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has launched a directory service to help signpost firms to vital advice, opportunities and support services. Back to Business is an evolution of Business West’s highly successful Trading Through Coronavirus platform, which has been visited by more than 100,000 businesses across the...
Bristol’s Engine Shed innovation hub and the city’s SETsquared tech incubator are teaming up to bring together a panel of women to talk about their entrepreneurial tech careers followed by a coding workshop. The virtual ‘Inspiring women and girls in STEAM’ panel event takes place from 4pm next Tuesday, October 13, to celebrate Ada...
Opportunities for Bristol firms in the world’s largest economic zone – China’s Greater Bay Area – have been highlighted at an online gathering led by West of England experts. Invest Bristol & Bath (IBB), the inward investment arm of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) teamed up with...
Bristol Energy has promoted its head of information services to managing director following its sale by Bristol City Council last month. Richard Orna, pictured, spent 10 months as part of the troubled firm’s executive team leading up to its acquisition by Together Energy. Ethical energy firm Together Energy, based...
Bristol’s pioneering Watershed cinema and media centre has received funding to build on the creativity and compassion of communities during the Covid-19 pandemic through stories, narratives and public imagination projects. The National Lottery Community Fund has given £49,500 to the Towards Equitable Futures programme, enabling Watershed to work with a design team that includes Zahra Ash-Harper (its independent creative director of inclusion), Bill Sharpe (independent...
A Bristol City Council scheme aiming to make the city’s leadership more diverse has won two major national awards, with judges describing it as ‘inclusivity at its best’. The innovative Stepping Up talent programme was launched by the council two years ago specifically for black and minority ethnic people, disabled people and women. ...
Tech businesses from Bristol are being invited to apply to join Tech 4 Good South West, a new initiative designed to stimulate international growth and expansion into the US, India and Singapore. The free programme will launch next month and applicants are invited to submit a pitch by next Wednesday, October...
An £8m skills programme to help Bristol businesses plan and respond to their workforce needs – particularly those triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic – is being launched by the West of England Combined Authority. Called Workforce for the Future, the free service will help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)...
Businesses looking to innovate and address new challenges that have arisen from Covid-19 can apply for funding from a £1m recovery fund set up by UWE Bristol. Following on from a successful first round, the university has launched the second round of funding for its Digital Innovation Fund, which...
Food and drink producers from Bristol and its surroundings had the opportunity to meet commercial trade officers working across the world this week at the first-ever virtual Meet the Market Expert event. Some 80 businesses booked meetings with more than 50 global trade officers representing 40-plus countries. In total...
Measures in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Winter Economic Plan have been welcomed as “bold steps” and “a shot in the arm” for industry by the UK’s leading business groups. The CBI said it would save hundreds of thousands of viable jobs while the British Chambers of Commerce said it would...
The Winter Economic Plan announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak today may help stave off mass unemployment, but it failed to target support to those sectors that need it most, according to the West of England’s largest business organisation. Business West, which runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce, along with other...
