Enterprise development and innovation

Are you looking to promote enterprise development and innovation in your borough but are not sure where to start?

GLE can help you formulate economic development strategies and Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) proposals.  Examples of our recent work are detailed below:

LDA Creative Business Accelerator (CBA)

GLE's market research informed the development of the LDA’s CBA pilot, a fast-track service to help innovative creative entrepreneurs grow their businesses and access finance.

We conducted in-depth analysis of existing services for creative enterprises in London, highlighting gaps in provision. Working with entrepreneurs, we developed working groups for creative industry sub-sectors such as fashion and digital media to help shape the CBA.

Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI)

LEGI is a national government scheme to promote enterprise, innovation and inward investment in deprived urban areas.

GLE initially helped shape the LEGI programme, successfully lobbying for an enhanced role for local government as a facilitator and catalyst for enterprise promotion at local level, and the nature of LEGI indicators.

We supported the London boroughs of Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham in developing their LEGI proposals.

Economic development strategies

Drawing on our expertise in the field of enterprise development, GLE conducted a series of in-depth interviews with local stakeholders in the London borough of Ealing and the West London sub-region to inform the borough’s economic regeneration strategy.

Finance for small and medium-sized enterprises

GLE carried out a detailed mapping exercise into the complex range of funding opportunities available for businesses wishing to establish themselves in the London Borough of Redbridge.

Based on this research, a comprehensive guide was produced on behalf of the local authority, listing the sources of finance available according to business sector, type of support (equity, loan, debt) and source of funding. The guide has been used to promote inward investment in the borough.

Enterprise and innovation best practice

GLE is lead partner in the European Learning Network (LNet), an Interreg IIIC funded partnership of five cities – London, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Milan and Prague.

Through LNet, we have developed an innovative case study template, helping us to compile and analyse best practice examples of interventions that have stimulated enterprise, social enterprise and innovation in deprived areas across the EU.

This analysis will lead to the development of online toolkits, designed to offer practical advice to policy makers and practitioners on activities to promote enterprise and entrepreneurship in deprived areas.

Click here to download the final report

EU Competitive and Innovation Policy

GLE held a series of round table events to shape the future of competitiveness and innovation policy at EU level. Responding to European Commission consultations, we have brought together EU, national and regional policy-makers and other high-level stakeholders to debate crucial policy questions, for example, how best to promote access to finance and an ‘entrepreneurship culture’ in the EU.

Our reports, based on these events, have had concrete results bringing themes such as ‘investment readiness’ to the attention of EU officials.

Inner City Enterprise Report

GLE’s Inner City Enterprise study (2003) was commissioned by the LDA to complement their work on the City Growth Strategies (CGS).

The study explores the link between inner cities' enterprise promotion and their wider regional economic policy, and reviewing emerging strategies and policies in Europe through local, national and international case studies.

It also addresses a number of key related questions: what are the main barriers to addressing the 'enterprise gap' in these areas?; what issues are there for the transferability of best practice?; and how can the sustainability of enterprise-promotion measures be ensured?

Jump Start Connect

GLE managed the LDA’s Jump Start Connect programme which facilitates and funds technology transfer partnerships between universities and London’s SMEs, promoting innovation across London.