Skip to sub navigation Skip to main content
Show menu

Operate more efficiently

Successfully running a small business requires a great deal of time, energy, money, and other resources. If you want to increase your chances for success, you will need to focus on making your business as efficient as possible.

You can improve productivity by delegating work, remaining focused, utilizing tools, automating processes, and welcoming change.

Ashfields business innovation and Digital technology programme

Our new Accelerator Programme is being delivered by East Midlands Chamber and is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It offers support to local businesses to improve commercial operations and bring new products to market. SMEs will have access to specialist consultants to explore and adopt new technologies and take advantage of any national programmes such as Innovate UK EDGE and Made Smarter.

Business grants

Made Smarter - East Midlands

The Made Smarter - East Midlands programme was created to help digitize UK manufacturers. Funding may be available to help you with robotics, lean manufacturing, additive manufacturing, Industry 4.0, VR, augmented reality, sensor analytics and data integration. It provides digital transformation road mapping, leadership development, grant funding and access to industrial digital technology expertise to help with implementation.

Support from Universities

Enterprising Ashfield - Growth programme

This growth programme provides small or medium size enterprises with a business review and action plan to help grow your business. Enterprise participants can access a range development solutions to work through their growth plans.

These include:

  • business mentoring
  • masterclasses and workshops
  • peer learning and leadership training sessions.

There are some sector-specific support programmes and access to a grant.

Promoting sustainable performance

University of Derby have developed a business health check tool that's specifically designed for small organisations across the D2N2 area. Its a free resource that can help you see how well your business is performing compared to others and what you can do to improve this.

EMC North Nottingham manufacturing network

The East Midlands Chamber manufacturing networks builds on the success of the respected Nottingham Manufacturing Network (NMN). It is a peer-to-peer membership organisation consisting of a diverse range of manufacturing businesses. They are keen to promote growth in manufacturing and help members to address commercial problems.

It’s completely free to join, but you must be a manufacturer.

Manufacturing energy toolkit

Provides small or medium size manufacturers with easy access to experts and equipment, helping you make significant reductions to your energy usage in short time frames.

Support includes areas such as:

  • Data-driven insights into your energy usage
  • Help to identify production planning improvements.
  • Pinpointing cost-saving measures
  • Discover opportunities to reduce your carbon footprint and work towards Net Zero
  • Expertise from a team of specialists

  • website: WMG - University of Warwick

The Net Zero innovation network

This is a collaborative network and range of free resources and events for small or medium size manufacturers wanting to focus on sustainability.

Page last updated: 22 November 2023