The best start for new businesses in Sheffield

Sheffield Technology Parks (STP) is officially one of the best places in the country to start a business.

STP has been independently audited by the UK Business Incubation (UKBI), as part of their National Incubation Framework (NBIF). NBIF is a national benchmarking tool developed by UKBI, on behalf of the UK Government, for assessing how effectively individual business incubators are performing against nationally agreed standard of best practise criteria.

In this comprehensive review STP specialist incubation activities with creative and digital companies were rated as ‘A’ (Excellent), the highest possible score. They scored excellent in each of the 4 categories of the framework, which are: Incubation strategy and Delivery, Selection policy, Exit policy and the Incubation Team.

Peter Wood, Chief Executive, Sheffield Technology Parks, says: “I’m delighted with these results, what they tell us is that no one in the UK doing business incubation better than we are in Sheffield. This is great news for businesses starting up in the city and a massive external validation of the work we are doing here at STP and testament to the high standards that we have set ourselves. We combine expert advice and mentoring with modern office facilities to accelerate the growth of new businesses. In the past two years we have supported more than 70 new high growth start-ups in the creative and digital sector with a near 100% success rate.

"We are constantly developing our offer to further cement our position as the leading business incubator in the region and one of the best in the country. We have recently added to the team and are currently expanding our facilities at our City Centre and Don Valley sites. This gives us more scope to help more entrepreneurs to start their businesses in the creative and digital sector which is of course is essential for the economic development of the city region going forwards."

Malcolm Buckler, Chief Executive, UKBI said: "UKBI are thrilled to officially recognise Sheffield Technology Parks as a good practice business incubation environment. The service they provide to their clients is one of the best in the country and they are proving that business incubation does have a long lasting impact upon their client companies, enabling them to be sustainable and able to compete in global markets and in turn is also promoting South Yorkshire as a fantastic place to start and grow your business."

Over the past twelve months STP has strengthened its international links with soft landings deals in Italy and Pittsburgh USA and looking to develop similar links with business incubators in India, China and Canada.