Banbury and District Chamber of Commerce Charlbury Business Community Eynsham Business Network Carterton Chamber of Commerce Watlington District Business Partnership Monument Park Chalgrove Bicester and District Chamber of Commerce Kidlington Wake Up To Woodstock Thame First The Henley Partnership Goring Business Network Wallingford in Business Didcot Abingdon Wantage and District Chamber of Commerce Faringdon Chamber of Commerce Chipping Norton Guild of Commerce Witney Members Oxford City & Suburbs Burford Chamber of Trade Shrivenham Oxfordshire-wide groups Neighbours
Oxfordshire
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Business Support Agencies


Are you considering starting a new business in Oxfordshire or looking for support or advice to develop your existing business?

There is a wide range of independent business support services available in the county. Members of the Oxfordshire Economic Partnership Business Support Task Group have been working to create a signpost service to what is available for pre-start and small businesses, and we have reproduced this below.

It is very much a work in progress and services are being developed and adjusted to suit the advice and support needs of new and aspiring business people in the county.

Please contact the service you think best suits your business. If you have questions you think we may be able to help with, please contact us.


Organisation Core service Target market / typical customer Additional information Access and locations Formal programmes / other services
Oxfordshire Business Enterprises
Contact: Lynette Riley
T: 01295 227082
E: lynette@oxonbe.co.uk
W: www.oxonbe.co.uk
Advice and counselling Pre-start and early stage businesses and self-employed, any sector. 21 volunteer advisers. Local authority funded and hosted, with in-kind support from venues and others.
NFEA member.
All Oxon districts: Banbury, Berinsfield, Bicester (2 venues), Chipping Norton, Faringdon, Harwell, Oxford (Summertown and Woodside), Wantage, Witney.  
TBAC Mentoring
Contact: Louise Goldsack
T: 01865 893305
E: hello@tbac.org.uk
W: www.tbac.org.uk
Mentoring Established businesses (more than 1 year in business), any sector Five volunteer mentors, all are business owners. Funded by profits from TBAC Centres / sponsors. Mentors’ business premises around Oxfordshire Business premises, www.tbaccentres.co.uk
Business Link
Contact: Customer Service Team
T: 01844 210430
E: info@businesslinksolutions.co.uk
W: www.businesslink.gov.uk
Advice Any SME. Any sector 17 advisors offering information, diagnostic and brokerage service, intensive assistance and business action planning. Customer premises, Business Link offices and other venues as required. Events. National Business Link services via website www.businesslink.gov.uk
Oxfordshire Innovation & Growth Team
Contact: Placi O’Neill-Espejo
T: 01869 238088
E: placi.espejo@innovationgrowth.co.uk
W: www.innovationgrowth.co.uk
Business Planning and Strategy

-Understanding and Access to Funding

-Mentoring and Coaching

-Access to local Networks

-Access to specialists
Knowledge –based businesses with high growth potential or a unique proposition in their sector.

Companies at all stages in their development from start-up and early stage, through SMEs, right up to large corporations.
The type of support delivered is tailored to suit our companies, the aim always being to help clients stand every chance of success and business growth, both in the UK and internationally. Main Head office at the Old Library Building, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.

Second office at Cherwell Innovation Centre, Heyford Park.

Covering all of Oxfordshire
-Understanding Finance.

-Peer Mentoring Group.

-Open Innovation

-Coaching for High Growth.

-Local Mentors Network

-Access to existing and new local Networks.
Enterprise Gateway
Contact: Paul Griffiths
T: 01908 679859
E:paul.griffiths@businesslink solutions.co.uk
Advice, counselling, peer mentoring Deprived areas, specific demographic groups including women, BME and young people. Focus on encouraging self-employment or business start-up. Outreach workers focusing on Banbury and Oxford (Blackbird Leys) but responding to Business Link referrals county-wide.  
Fredericks Foundation
Contact: Tim King
T: 01276 472722
E: info@fredericksfoundation.net
W: www.fredericksfoundation.org
Micro finance with business advice Anyone looking to start up in business who can’t obtain traditional finance. Additionally provide growth funding for existing businesses, with a track record also denied traditional funding Maximum start up funding £10k growth funding maximum £20k Client manager for Oxon is mobile and visits prospects once their business plan is in place Once business is established on going mentoring is available
Prince’s Trust
Contact: Calvin Silvester
T: 01753 502302
E: calvin.silvester@princes-trust.org.uk
W: www.princes-trust.org.uk
Advice, counselling,  mentoring and workshops 18-30 year olds, unemployed or working less than 16 hours per week Mentor assigned from pre-start for up to three years. 2009 – public venues close to individual clients’ homes. 2010 – four-day workshops in Oxford and possibly Banbury Pre-start workshops for sales, marketing and money. Loans and funding advice. Discounted business services.
Science Oxford Networks
Contact: Richard Mercer
T: 01865 810008
E: Richard.Mercer@scienceoxford.com
W: www.scienceoxfordnetworks.com
Peer mentoring High-technology start-up, early stage and established businesses Closed groups of 8-10 members, nominal charge of £10 per member per meeting. Self-funded Oxford (other Oxfordshire locations being explored / developed on demand) Women’s peer mentoring.
Experience Exchange.
Venturefest Technology Showcase.
4ICT..
PLATO: Sustain
Contact: Luke Faulkner
T: 01844 210477
E: luke.faulkner@platogb.co.uk
W: www.platogb.co.uk
Peer mentoring Established businesses, any sector, typically 10+ employees and c. £1m+ turnover. PLATO: Sustain is a closed group programme with a ‘green’ focus, starting in October 2009 and running for two years. ERDF funded. Host company premises in the county (large companies that facilitate the programme) or other locations as determined by group members.  
Business Link
Contact: Customer Service Team
T: 01844 210430
E: info@businesslinksolutions.co.uk
W: www.businesslink.gov.uk
Workshops Pre-start, any sector. Pre-start workshops including business planning, winning and retaining customers and managing money.   Banbury and Oxford  
Ethnic Minority Business Service
Contact: Dr Shaila Srinivasan
T: 01865 727015
E: srini@f2s.com
W:www.embs.org.uk
Workshops Pre-start, any sector. If ethnic minority, must have been in UK for minimum 3 years or be married to a Briton Workshops including business start-up skills and book-keeping.LSC funded but delegates are charged £25 each Banbury and Oxford Book-keeping course


Staying Legal – a regulations guide for business

As part of the work of the OEP’s Business Support programme, it linked up with Oxfordshire Better Regulation Group (Trading Standards, Fire & Rescue and Environmental Health teams) and Mike Jennings of TBAC, to produce the 'Staying Legal' guide for businesses. The booklet aims to give clear and concise information to businesses on all matters related to regulation, including fire safety, food safety, workplace health & safety and licensing.