Business incubator reopens doors

The STEAMhouse Incubator - Birmingham City University 's business incubation facility that launched in March 2020 and closed within a few days due to Covid-19 - has now reopened.

The facility, which is located on the ground floor of Millennium Point, aims to support students, graduates and local entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their own business.

From this week, in line with government guidance on indoor gatherings, the STEAMhouse Incubator is open with reduced capacity.

Since the second lockdown, which began on 5 November, STEAMhouse Incubator has provided tailored online support, and has delivered more than 28 online webinars to support external clients as well as students and graduates.

All events are free of charge and open to those who are interested in the business sector.

Webinar topics have ranged from sales and marketing, pitching and selling skills, and money management to LinkedIn masterclasses, entrepreneurship and innovation, cryptocurrencies, and how to run your own business workshops.

Since the third lockdown, more than 300 people have attended these virtual events, and the incubator has taken on three new clients.

The STEAMhouse Incubator has also continued to support clients through one-to-one sessions, and is helping to identify any Covid-related grants or schemes that may be available to them, including The ReStart Grant, Kickstart and SEIS.

One start-up has been awarded a £1,500 grant from The Princes Trust, and four incubator members have also received a £1,000 grant from the Santander Freelancer Scheme.

Programme manager Richard Scutt said: "I am very excited to be re-opening the incubator once again.

“The incubator is a fantastic co-working space with great resources and I can 't wait to see our wonderful clients back where they belong. ”

To find out more about the incubator email [email protected] or click here.