Leicester businesses are increasing their investment in digital capability and low-carbon practices through a local accelerator programme designed to support growth. The initiative, delivered by East Midlands Chamber for Leicester City Council, offers fully funded consultancy, training, and energy audits to organisations seeking to modernise their systems and reduce emissions. It runs until March 2026 and is backed by £119,110 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

More than 100 companies have taken part so far. Workshops have focused on AI adoption, social media content, data analytics, and broader digital processes. Participating firms can also access Growth Vouchers of up to £2,000 to support the implementation of new tools and technologies. Dedicated advisers provide one-to-one guidance across digital transformation and sustainability planning.

East Midlands Chamber Deputy Chief Executive Diane Beresford said: “I’m delighted that the support offered by the Accelerator project has been so well received by businesses in Leicester. We’ve worked with the Council to deliver the right type of interventions to help businesses address common challenges that present themselves when it comes to growth and sustainability. Often, businesses simply need a sounding board for their plans. Once we know what they’re trying to achieve, we can explore the options for bringing in expert support – whether that be the fully funded training, consultancy and sustainability audits through the Accelerator project or by signposting them to national support. An exciting journey of growth inevitably follows.”

Recent case studies reflect the variety of support in action. A Leicester-based sports education provider used the programme to complete a business review, install a CRM system, and act on energy-efficiency recommendations.

An international health procurement organisation switched energy suppliers following its audit, meeting its renewable energy target and securing annual savings of around £8,000. A long-established manufacturing firm created a sustainability action plan for a new facility, integrating efficiency measures during the design stage.

The project continues to attract firms across multiple sectors as organisations refine operations, streamline digital processes, and progress their decarbonisation plans.

Purple House Clinic Lincoln has launched a new one-day intensive trauma therapy service, designed to help employers, executives, and professionals across Lincolnshire access fast, effective psychological support that reduces downtime and promotes long-term workforce resilience. The new intensive Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) approach addresses a major challenge faced by businesses today; the rising impact of stress, burnout and trauma-related difficulties on employee wellbeing and productivity. By offering accelerated trauma recovery over one or two days either in-person or online, the clinic aims to provide a practical solution for individuals whose work or leadership responsibilities make traditional weekly therapy difficult to maintain. EMDR is a globally recognised, evidence-based therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing experiences. The intensive format, which is commonly used in high-performing sectors such as the military, emergency services and elite sport, enables deeper therapeutic progress within a compact time frame, supporting quicker returns to work and improved performance sustainability. “Across the East Midlands, businesses are increasingly recognising that emotional wellbeing is not just a personal issue, but a strategic one,” said Alice Vine, Clinical Director and Forensic Psychologist at Purple House Clinic Lincoln. “Over the past six months we’ve seen substantial demand from professionals who need effective support delivered efficiently. Intensive EMDR meets that demand, helping people regain clarity, capacity and confidence without stepping away from work for months at a time. “As an accredited EMDR Practitioner, Consultant and Facilitator, I know how transformative this therapy can be when delivered well. High-performing professionals often carry heavy emotional loads. When addressed early and effectively, organisations benefit from better leadership stability, fewer absences, improved decision-making and more engaged teams.” Since its founding in 2018, Purple House Clinic Lincoln has built a reputation for excellence in evidence-based psychological support, offering a broad range of services including therapies for depression, anxiety, trauma, and neurodiversity assessments. With a growing multidisciplinary team of 18 therapists, the clinic delivers more than 415 hours of tailored therapeutic care per month, reflecting its strong commitment to kind-hearted mental health care. Intensive EMDR is not suitable for everyone. Clients must be emotionally ready and able to engage deeply in one day of work. It is not recommended for individuals with active substance use, severe avoidance coping or where the emotional load would be overwhelming. The therapy is currently available for adults, with the potential to extend to children and adolescents where clinically appropriate. As demand for proactive mental health investment grows across the region, the launch of Purple House Clinic’s intensive programme provides a timely resource for local businesses committed to safeguarding staff wellbeing and sustaining organisational performance. For more information about the Purple House Clinic Lincoln and the different therapy, assessments and support it offers, visit www.purplehouseclinic.co.uk/psychologists-lincoln/ or contact 01522 868616.

Ongo has expanded its presence in Greater Lincolnshire through a new partnership with Lincoln City Football Club, extending its community activity linked to local sport and widening access to match-day opportunities for residents.

Kevin Hornsby, Director of Customer Services at Ongo, said “We’re excited to be working with Lincoln City Football Club. Working with the Club was a natural choice for us, as we look to connect as many of our customers as possible with opportunities to enjoy sporting events for free.

“With a growing number of tenants and customers in the area, the sponsorship also provides a great opportunity to promote our support services, including mental health support and projects to help people into work and training—many of which are free to access.”

The partnership is funded by Hales & Coultas, Ongo’s commercial arm, and extends the organisation’s portfolio of sporting links across the region, which includes relationships with clubs in Scunthorpe, Doncaster, and the local rugby sector.

For Lincoln City FC, the agreement strengthens the club’s business network. Ruby Crick, Commercial Executive for Lincoln City Football Club said: “We’re really pleased to welcome Ongo to our ever-growing network of club sponsors. We are really proud as a club to be involved with the work they are doing in the community and I’m looking forward to see what we can achieve together.”

Ongo continues to grow its footprint across key local authority areas, with 106 homes in the Lincoln City area, 162 in West Lindsey, and 41 in North Kesteven, alongside a range of customer support services geared towards employment, wellbeing, and community engagement.

Nottingham’s tech sector is brimming with entrepreneurial energy and graduate talent, but new analysis from Built in Notts reveals that the city is being short-changed when it comes to public investment. The research, which compared 20 major UK cities across Innovate UK funding, startup creation and graduate outcomes, found that Nottingham is outpacing many of its larger rivals but receives far less Innovate UK support per capita than other major tech hubs. Despite limited government backing, Nottingham saw 170 new tech businesses formed in the last year, and continues to produce more than 2,000 engineering and technology graduates annually, providing a strong skills pipeline for its digital economy. Yet the city secured just £6.1 million in Innovate UK technology funding in 2024/25, equivalent to £19 per capita, compared with over £45 million for York or £225 per capita, and £28 million for Cambridge equating to £188 per capita. Nottingham’s eighth-place ranking highlights a city that’s doing more with less. It continues to produce a high volume of skilled graduates and a steady flow of new tech startups, yet its funding intensity ranks among the lowest in the index revealing a clear “potential versus investment” gap. “Nottingham has always been a city built on hustle and heart,” said Martin Sandhu, founder of Built in Notts. “We’ve got the talent and the ideas, but we need to build a stronger community to create a centre of gravity to enable investment. “At the moment the level of investment doesn’t reflect the potential of the city and region. If we want to keep our best graduates here and help startups scale, we need to close the gap between potential and funding. Nottingham’s story isn’t about what’s missing, it’s about what’s waiting to happen if we get this right.” The Built in Notts Potential vs Investment Index aims to spotlight where UK cities are overperforming or underperforming relative to their funding, identifying where investment could have the greatest impact in levelling up regional tech ecosystems. “Nottingham’s results paint a clear picture of a city driven by self-starting founders, skilled graduates, and collaboration, but one that remains underfunded compared to its output and capability. If Nottingham’s startup scene can achieve this much without serious funding, imagine what it could do with it,” added Sandhu.

It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.  It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years. Here we speak to Shruti Trivedi, managing director of property and planning law firm and strategic planning advisors Devello. The latest Budget has set the tone for what I believe will be another challenging year for the planning and development sector across the East Midlands and wider. While the headline focus has been on the targeted tax incentives and infrastructure spending, the deeper implications for the built environment should unfold throughout 2026. The East Midlands will receive a boost from initiatives like Team Derby, with £2 billion in transport funding and £100 million Local Growth allocation, while in the West Midlands the new £900 million Local Growth Fund will accelerate infrastructure like the Midlands Rail Hub. Whilst these policies are expected help unlock further commercial and residential development, ultimately I expect delivery to remain constrained by the planning system and the wider economy. The Government has renewed commitment to delivery through additional funding for local authority planning departments, providing £48 million over three years to recruit 350 planners and to establish a “Planning Careers Hub.” However, with skills shortages still lingering, I expect the bottlenecks that have constrained development to be slow to shift and delivery to remain uneven. Schemes will need to be well thought out with strong viability credentials. Overall, in 2026 planners and developers will have to adapt quickly to policy shifts, embrace more collaborative pre-application work and lean into the rising importance of sustainable place-making. While the year ahead may not deliver instant acceleration, it could lay the foundations for a more resilient and responsive planning landscape.