Over 100 businesses helped by STEAMhouse fully-funded support

STEAMhouse has announced that over 100 businesses have already benefited from fully-funded business support, designed to help Solihull and Birmingham SMEs innovate and develop new products and services. This marks a significant milestone in the project.

Applications remain open for the remaining places on the cohort, to businesses who want to grow and who trade in Birmingham and Solihull. The opportunity to use the support on offer closes on 31 March 2025 so applications are encouraged to be submitted quickly in order to benefit.

Through the Forward programme these fully-funded memberships at STEAMhouse offer tailored support services, including one-to-one business support, workshops, and access to state-of-the-art facilities at no cost to participants.

Up to 20 hours of fully-funded support is available to businesses who may have limited budget or resources to get things going, and support includes access to fully equipped, collaborative work and maker spaces, dedicated business support, access to networking opportunities and community events, and guidance from skilled mentors and technicians with decades of experience.

Clayton Shaw, head of STEAMhouse Commercial, said: “We are thrilled to have made a difference to over 100 local smaller businesses in such a short period.

“This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and the value of our support to the regional business community. But we’re not stopping here – we want to continue this momentum and reach even more Birmingham and Solihull-based businesses.”

Claire, artistic director and founder, said: “With my fully-funded membership through Forward I’ve been assisted at the ideal time, in considering my approach to this innovative creative direction within my business. This has focused on where my market it lies, who my customers are and how I might reach them.

“With further research, development and prototyping, I’m able to move forward in a more focused way, with the potential to reach new markets, thus increasing my business’s sustainability”.

The programme launched in March, and STEAMhouse encourage businesses to get their application in for the final few months of the programme while the opportunity remains open.

For more information about how to apply and benefit from this support, visit the website.

STEAMhouse Forward is fully-funded by the UK government through the UKSPF (UK Shared Prosperity Fund) to support Birmingham & Solihull businesses to innovate, collaborate and grow.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit the website.

The UKSPF fund is managed via Birmingham City Council and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.