Locate in Kent - Funding & Support
Thinking of Investing in Kent?
See what funding and support is available...
Locate in Kent provides confidential relocations advice free of charge for businesses seeking to move to Kent. This includes a range of services including personal tours of the county, research to support location proposals, introductions and liaisons with professional consultants and advisors to grant access to local knowledge.
Further information on specific services offered by Locate in Kent is provided below. For further information, investors are encouraged to contact Locate in Kent directly.
Visit the Locate in Kent website to find out more.
Financial Assistance/Grants
Grants for Research and Development (GR&D) aim to help start-ups and SMEs carry out research and development work on technologically innovative products and processes. The scheme is focused on encouraging businesses to carry out projects that they would not necessarily undertake without the grant and lever in to these projects finance from reluctant private investment sources.
These grants are available throughout Kent & Medway, funded by Finance South East
Loans
Medway Partners for Growth
Partners for Growth (PFG) is an interest-free loan scheme operated by the council to help established small and medium-sized companies in Medway to expand. Designed to provide essential gap funding to pursue a growth opportunity, the scheme combines an interest-free loan, which has a six-month repayment holiday, with free expert advice. Typically, the scheme lends £10,000 to £15,000 per approved application. The scheme's objective is to increase the competitiveness of Medway businesses by creating new opportunities for companies to grow.
Incentives, Tax and Others
Discovery Park, a 99 hectare site in Sandwich, has received Enterprise Zone status. This confers two major incentives for investors to the region. The primary incentive is a business rate discount up to a maximum of £55,000 per year, for up to five years. It is possible that this can reduce the total rate by 100%.
The planning regime will be simplified under a Local Development Order which will allow existing buildings to be converted, new buildings to be developed and the change of use of buildings on the site without the need for individual planning permissions.
Discovery Park will also be able to guarantee access to superfast broadband.
For further information regarding the site, please contact Locate in Kent here.
Venture & Equity Capital
A variety of business angel networks are available. This includes the Kent Investor Club, which was launched in October 2009 in order to establish a group of business angels from the county and support early stage, high growth Kent companies.
Further information on business angel networks in Kent may be found on the Finance South East Website.
Recruitment Support
Most employers believe that improved skills could help their business. Some employers think they cannot afford to train. Those who want to train often don`t know how to go about it. However, a wide range of training or employee development opportunities is provided in Kent, without charge or at substantially reduced costs, via The Learning and Skills Council, to existing companies and those moving into the area.
Business Accommodation Assistance
Locate in Kent, in conjunction with key partners in Kent, introduced Launchpad UK, a programme providing a totally bespoke package of professional support, designed to reduce the risks and costs for foreign companies entering the UK market.
Our programme will launch your business into Kent, part of the South East of England, the UK`s most successful region and the location that makes real commercial sense. Launchpad UK provides you with an attractive package of business support services at no cost to your company.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Locate in Kent are able to provide confidential information and support for businesses seeking to relocate into Kent. This can include an analysis of potential business sectors in the county, including acquisitions and partners. For further information, please contact Locate in Kent directly here.
More information about the funding and support available to those investing in Kent...
Take a look at Invest in Kent website to learn more.
