Coventry businesses created 11,000 in a decade

A COVENTRY and Warwickshire business support organization has helped create around 11,000 jobs in a decade.

The Growth Center celebrates its tenth anniversary and demonstrates its impact to date in the sub-region in the current SmartRegion report.

It provides independent advice, guidance and ongoing support at no cost to businesses – since the closure of CWLEP last March, it has become an independent organization with two shareholders – Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council.

Over the past decade, CW Growth Hub has built local partnership working partnerships with local partners, including local authorities, universities and Catapult Centres, to ensure businesses have been able to access support and programs that best suit their needs.

This added a gross value of £410 million to the local economy and generated around £315 million in private investment for businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Over the past ten years, the area has seen an increase in the employment rate and a fall in the unemployment rate for the working age population – the total number of businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire has increased from 31,590 to 37,345.

Phil Peak, the hub’s deputy chief executive, said the organization had helped more than 10,000 businesses over the past decade.

“We have supported tens of thousands more through our work as cluster leader for West Midlands Growth Hubs, but there are still many more businesses to reach, as well as the companies we have already helped take to the next stage of their growth.

“We also have new shareholders following the closure of CWLEP, which is a testament to all the work we have done over the last ten years and become embedded in the business community in Coventry and Warwickshire.”

Craig Humphrey, chief executive at the hub, said: “Driven by business for business, we are continually learning about what works and what doesn’t in supporting companies with their most challenging needs.

“It is recognized that engaging businesses with support is difficult and we know that businesses often prefer to receive advice from trusted sources and trigger points when facing challenges.

“The Growth Hub has become a trusted and invaluable resource for the business community in Coventry and Warwickshire and my thanks go to all the partners who have supported us and everyone who has played a part so far.”