Our Campaigns & Programmes

The Business Growth Fund is a £3.5m programme of investment funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund that supports business growth.

Offering support for businesses looking to expand or establish new operations in Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, North Of Tyne Combined Authority, Sunderland City Council.

A national multi-channel support service for all businesses or aspiring business owners in England.

Their impartial expert advisers can answer any business questions to support you and your business, whether you're starting up or already a small business based in England.

The Durham Business Growth and Productivity Programme is a comprehensive initiative designed to elevate productivity and foster growth within businesses located in County Durham.

Operating from September 2023 to March 2025, this programme represents a pivotal period for businesses seeking to thrive and contribute to the regional economic landscape.

East London Meet the Buyer (formally Royal Docks Business Meet the Buyer) gives local SMEs an amazing opportunity to connect directly with major buyers in the area.

Supply chain professionals with active projects can meet with suppliers matching their requirements efficiently in one place and avoid months of scheduling and travel.

The MAG Meet the Buyer event roadshow comes to East Midlands, giving local SMEs a unique opportunity to become suppliers of East Midlands Airport and partners.

By bringing communities and industry together this programme offers funding to bring about solutions for future city, future homes and future living.

Open to businesses across North Tyneside, in partnership with The Business Factory we provide FREE business support including one-to-one consultancy and mentoring to help your business grow. 

Providing tailored support to the Hampshire County Council, acting as their first point of contact for customers in the Hampshire area, providing administrative tasks for their Peer to Peer Network and business advice services.

Brought to you by the UK Space Agency, Ignite Space will act as a catalyst for commercial success, creating opportunities for you and your business to engage with new customers, collaborators and investors within the UK space industry and its supply chain.

Showcasing an industry worth more than £17.5bn to the UK economy, this event will accelerate growth and collaboration across the sector.

Open to businesses across the North East - inspire innovation and upskill your workforce to help you on your way 

Grant management services helping provide small or medium-sized manufacturing business, based in the North East, with funding to ensure they can maximise the digital tools, innovation, and skills they need to make an everyday difference to their business.

Manchester Airport Meet the Buyers businesses an amazing opportunity to connect directly with major buyers in the area and excellent one-day event for Buyers to meet with 25+ potential suppliers within the local area.

Our programme of digital innovations events, support and finance is open to North East based businesses adopting digital system or launching new, innovative tech products.

Working closely with local and national partners, the Northern Investor Hub brings experienced and budding investors together, identifying co-investment opportunities, and showcasing the North’s most inspiring businesses.

The UMi Northern Powerhouse Export Awards accelerates and inspires businesses of all shapes and sizes to do more and go further on their exporting journeys.

The awards crowns ten category winners and one overall Exporter of the Year. Alongside, will run an export campaign, culminating in an interactive digital publication.

Providing large capital grants technical appraisal services to Northumberland Small Business Service (NSBS) who deliver a range of direct local support services and investment to drive growth and resilience across rural businesses and communities within Northumberland.

Designed to make accessing finance easier for regional businesses, Pathways to Funding provides specialist support and is growing the number of active investors and funds in the region.

Open to businesses and social enterprises based in Gateshead, Pathways to Innovation supports enterprises to overcome the barriers preventing them from accessing innovation and growth, both individually and as a region.

Since 2011, more than £30m worth of contracts have been placed as a result of London Stansted Meet the Buyers, boosting the regional economy. 

As one of the largest procurement events in the East of England, the quick-fire meeting concept enables local firms to pitch directly to senior buyers.

As part of Start Up Loans Post Loan Support, once an eligible borrower receives their first loan, they instantly qualify for Post Loan Support — up to 12 months of free business support, including their very own business mentor and on-demand resources through UMi Sat Nav.

An event which sees more than 800 visitors it's packed with a variety of local businesses showcasing their products, services and support.

It provided a valuable networking opportunity, with more than 90 exhibitors and a 15 seminar sessions.

Helping small and medium-sized businesses secure investment in Tees Valley.

A scheme providing loan capital to small and medium sized businesses across Scotland.

The £12m fund helps accelerate the growth of businesses in Scotland, complementing other private and public sector forms of funding.

UMi is a Grant Management Partner for Zero Waste Scotland, supporting them in delivering grant programmes to Scottish businesses that help support Scotland’s resource efficiency and circular economy.

A funded construction sector leadership programme with an explicit supply chain focus on helping Welsh construction companies. UMi delivered a pan Wales support programme to develop supply chains within the construction sector.

A £8.9m scheme to support capital expenditure for small and medium sized businesses within County Durham planning a capital investment of at least £100,000.

A digital transformation programme helping businesses across County Durham do more with digital technology. Offering a range of masterclasses, digital health checks, one-to-one support and grant funding.

A digital support programme for small & medium sized businesses based in the Leeds City Region that are looking to do more with digital technology. Offering access to knowledge, expertise and advice on digital and technology solutions.

DABS was an ERDF-funded programme that helped new businesses in County Durham start trading and offered premium quality support to those with high growth potential.

The Enterprise M3 Growth Hub provided free, expert advice and a resource network for new and existing businesses across Surrey and Hampshire, including delivery of an intensive programme of coaching for high growth businesses.

Help for local businesses to take advantage of the new superspeed connections – including free Connection Vouchers worth up to £3,000 to get connected.

UMi delivered a series of webinars on behalf of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) to help businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber and further afield to internationalise their marketing in response to the UK’s new global trading relationship.

The Go Further Investment campaign showcased and celebrated progressive businesses who were pushing through and achieving their aspirations through access to investment, impactful collaborations, and the foresight to inform and respond to the changing world around them.

The Let’s Grow Programme provided grants from £25,000 to £1m to cover up to 30% of costs to invest, expand and create or safeguard jobs. Let’s Grow was funded by the Regional Growth Fund, local authorities in the North East and Tees Valley and the York and North Yorkshire Enterprise Partnership.

The UK games sector owes much of its success to the small and medium businesses that are shaping its future. The META Games Index showcased and celebrated those who were contributing to the success of the sector.

A £4.6m scheme to support capital expenditure for small and medium sized businesses planning a capital investment of at least £67,000 in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland.

Celebrateing Scotland's export sector, this campaign celebrated the success and showcased what’s been achieved, giving recognition to outstanding export businesses.

The UK Social Entrepreneur Index was a celebration of entrepreneurs running businesses with social purposes, providing recognition whilst also acting as a benchmark for good practice to inspire the next generation.

Tees Valley Business Compass was a local Growth Hub for the Teesside area, providing support and funding for ambitious companies looking to grow. Supporting thousands of local businesses it helped to provide funding opportunities to secure grants and supplement growth.

A £4.5m programme of investment, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The scheme provided grant funding to eligible, small and medium sized businesses planning a capital investment project of at least £67,000 in Gateshead, South Tyneside or Sunderland.

A £1m fund for West Yorkshire businesses, the energy price emergency grant scheme offers 50% funding up to £5,000. This financial support can be used to buy a more efficient boiler or install new low-energy lighting, for example.

Durham Meet the Buyer gives local SMEs in the Visitor Economy and Hospitality sector a chance for buyers to meet in a set of one-to-one meetings with local suppliers to expand your supply chain in one place, in one day.

Helping more than 100 businesses located within North Yorkshire to overcome the challenges they face through the cost of trading crisis using a mix digital and in-person support including UMi Sat Nav and dedicated Business Resilence workshops.