Monthly Archives: December 2020

Hot Business News Today

Five reasons why Peer Networks could benefit your business

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Originally written by Partner Content on Small Business
The year 2020 has proved challenging for SMEs across all sectors but working with like-minded peers to address key issues and opportunities can help businesses to successfully navigate through Covid-19 and the ongoing EU transition.
At a time when SMEs need impactful support, working with other business leaders is an effective approach to share knowledge and find solutions in a trusted and collaborative space – and the Peer Networks Programme, backed by the Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) – aims to do just that.
What is the Peer Networks programme?
Peer Networks is an initiative that will bring together SME businesses to support them as they work together on important challenges, while also coming up with tangible solutions in a collaborative environment.
The programme is being delivered in England locally by the network of Growth Hubs and supported by their respective Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).
Peer Networks will form an important part of the government’s drive to improve productivity and deliver part of the economic response to the effect of Covid-19 on businesses.
It will provide support to SMEs as they move into and through the recovery phase of Covid-19 response, improve SMEs’ capability to

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Hot Business News Today

MarketFinance offers small business grants of £5,000 each

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Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
MarketFinance, the fintech business lender, is offering grants of £5,000 to support small businesses.
Businesses have until December 31 to apply for grants through the MarketFinance Business Booster Fund.
Three businesses will be selected and announced on January 6.
Timings of subsequent rounds will be confirmed in 2021.
>See also: Treasury to discuss COVID-19 grant for company directors
Any business in any sector can apply, so long as it has been trading for at least two years and is showing positive growth. It is not necessary to be an existing customer of MarketFinance to be eligible for the grant.
MarketFinance, which has offices in London and Manchester, is especially keen to support entrepreneurs who value diversity, inclusion and giving back.
Since 2011, MarketFinance has advanced over £3bn to companies across a range of sizes and sectors, providing working capital and finance for everything from paying staff and suppliers to launching new products or services and accelerating growth.
MarketFinance is backed by Barclays, Santander InnoVentures, European venture capital fund Northzone (whose investments include Klarna, iZettle and Trustpilot) and private equity group MCI Capital (also invested in iZettle, Azimo and Gett).
>See also: Liverpool launches £9.5m grant fund for ‘excluded’ self-employed
Anil Stocker, CEO of

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