Useful Links

Rising Stars is part of Bradford Council’s Business & Enterprise programme which supports business across the District to increase investment, support growth and develop competitiveness. The programme is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Rising Stars is provided by Bradford Chamber, Airedale Enterprise Services and ATL (Yorkshire) Ltd working together to provide maximum support and access to resources for new and established businesses in the District. This includes helping Bradford businesses to access other national and specialist schemes.

A list of local and national schemes is provided below. As such schemes frequently change their criteria, please contact a Rising Stars adviser first for more information.

	UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) staff are experts in Helping Your Business Grow Internationally. Services include participation at selected trade fairs, outward missions and providing bespoke market intelligence. UKTI can help you crack foreign markets and get to grips quickly with overseas regulations and business practice.
	The Manufacturing Advisory Service is designed to help manufacturers streamline processes, reduce waste, become more energy efficient and generally improve your business. Details of the new MAS service will be available from January 2012.
	A new Technology Strategy Board scheme is offering funding to small and medium-sized enterprises to engage in R&D projects in science, engineering and technology, from which successful new products, processes and services could emerge.
	Business Coaching for Growth, to be launched in January 2012, will help up to 10,000 high growth businesses a year to address barriers to growth and grow more rapidly.
	Designing Demand is the Design Council’s mentoring service for small and medium sized enterprises in the UK. It helps businesses with an appetite for growth discover how to become more innovative, more competitive and more profitable. Management teams are enabled to understand how design, used well, can be a strategic and effective tool to boost performance, open new markets, cut costs and reduce risk.
	Ensuring that small businesses are supported in developing their leadership skills, and with the ultimate aim of facilitating business growth, the Leadership and Management Advisory Service (LMAS) is designed to support leaders and managers in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) which have the potential for high or fast growth.
	The National Metals Technology Centre (NAMTEC) was established to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the metals and related engineering industries throughout the UK.
	Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) support UK businesses wanting to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by accessing the knowledge and expertise available within UK Universities and Colleges.
	Business Link is government’s online resource for businesses. It contains essential information, support and services for you and your business – whether you work for a large organisation or are on your way to starting up. Simple to use, up to date and practical, Business Link has a number of useful online tools, calculators, and best practice case studies; and provides access to funding options, as well as wider support.

The following list provides links to some of the most relevant advice and support available to businesses in the Bradford District.

	Invest in Bradford supports businesses and investors from right across the Bradford district. Our support is free of charge and our services cover staff and retention issues, commercial property searches, access to finance as well as a range of business support initiatives with help and advice for inward and indigenous companies with their investment projects.
	Bradford Chamber supports businesses right across the District with a range of solutions and services to help cut costs, improve performance and make new business contacts. We also specialise in environmental advice for business, e-commerce solutions and social responsibility. Through Rising Stars we provide focused support for growing businesses.
	Airedale Enterprise Services Ltd has, for over 25 years, encouraged and supported enterprise in Keighley and the surrounding areas, providing: Business advice and information for budding entrepreneurs and existing business; Access to Finance; Practical business training; Business Facilities; Room Hire; Computer Training; Access to computers and the internet.
	ATL (Yorkshire) Ltd is an established provider of enterprise, life long learning, employment and community engagement to diverse individuals, businesses and organisations throughout Yorkshire and Humber. With a reputation for excellence, for over ten years ATL has delivered keynote events; mainstream business support services; learning and coaching interventions.
	My Business Adviser is a free resource for people think about going in to business. It contains free resources and downloads and details of short courses for people who have never been self-employed or started a company before. It also links to the Start-Up Donut.
	Bradford Kickstart is a scheme run by Bradford Council, and supported by organisations and service providers from across the Bradford District, that aims to help local people set up over 1000 small businesses during the next ten years – encouraging growth, prosperity and employment in Bradford District. Support from Bradford Kickstart is available to all residents living in Bradford District and to those businesses trading, or planning to trade in the District.
	Bradford Council deals with businesses in numerous ways, including business rates, refuse collection , licensing and environmental health. Bradford Council operates both the Bradford Kickstart scheme, Invest in Bradford and the Rising Stars scheme, between them providing support to businesses and people going in to business right across the whole District.