A 2025 Roundup
A 2025 Roundup
2025 was a year of momentum, collaboration, and practical support for businesses across North Essex, with initiatives from the North Essex Economic Board (NEEB) playing a central role in building a stronger local business community. From nurturing young entrepreneurs to creating new routes into business support and championing local firms at major events, NEEB’s activity this year has focused on turning ambition into action.
“Our focus in the past year has been on making support more visible, more accessible, and more impactful for businesses across North Essex,” said Cllr Ivan Henderson, NEEB Chairma at the North Essex Economic Board. “We want to ensure that great ideas—wherever they come from—have the opportunity to grow.”
Investing in the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Supporting young people to start and grow businesses has been a clear priority in 2025. Through its Young Entrepreneurs programme, NEEB delivered a range of targeted initiatives designed to remove barriers and build confidence for early-stage founders, supporting over 140 young people to gain new skills fit for the future.
A key strand of the programme focused on young market traders, offering tailored support to help them develop commercial skills, improve their customer offer, and take their first steps towards sustainable trading. This practical, hands-on approach helped young entrepreneurs turn side hustles and ideas into viable micro-businesses.
Young entrepreneurs were also given free access to the Rebel+ programme, providing them with structured learning, peer support, and expert guidance around mindset, business planning, and growth. By opening up access to Rebel+, NEEB ensured that cost was not a barrier to high-quality enterprise support.
Alongside this, the Earniversity Fast Track Challenge offered an intensive, time-bound opportunity for young people to test ideas, build momentum, and develop entrepreneurial skills at pace. The challenge encouraged participants to think creatively, act decisively, and gain real-world experience, reinforcing the message that entrepreneurship is a viable and achievable path.
Launching NEEB Link: Connecting over 160 Businesses to Support so far
Another major milestone in 2025 was the launch of NEEB Link, a new business support and events programme designed to simplify access to advice, resources, and opportunities for businesses across North Essex.
NEEB Link has focused on connection and clarity—helping businesses understand what support is available, who to speak to, and how to take their next step, whether they are starting out, scaling up, or navigating change. Alongside one-to-one support, the programme has been brought to life through a series of events that encourage collaboration, peer learning, and stronger relationships between businesses and support providers.
NEEB Link has helped businesses save time, build confidence, and engage more effectively with the wider business support ecosystem in the region. As of January 2026, NEEB Link has supported over 160 individual businesses through interactive and well attended events, with more planned before the programme concludes in March 2026.
Building Skills Through the Pitch to Convince Programme
In partnership with The Weave, NEEB fully funded the delivery of the 8-week Pitch to Convince workshop programme in 2025, helping entrepreneurs and business owners sharpen one of the most critical skills in business: communicating their value. From the first two cohorts, 23 business owners have walked away reporting increased confidence and new skills to grow their businesses.
“It’s hugely beneficial to hone your skills, to present your business more appropriately and effectively.” Emma, 2025 Pitch to Convince participant
The Pitch to Convince programme focuses on helping participants articulate their ideas clearly, confidently, and persuasively—whether pitching for investment, selling to customers, or presenting to partners and stakeholders. Practical exercises, expert feedback, and peer learning helped attendees refine their messaging and build confidence in high-stakes conversations.
The programme reinforced the importance of storytelling, clarity, and credibility in business growth, equipping local entrepreneurs with skills they can use long after the workshops end. 2026 sees the return of Pitch to Convince, welcoming more North Essex business owners that want to feel empowered and confident in communicating their story and business proposition.
For more information on upcoming cohorts of the Pitch to Convince programme, visit https://neeb.org.uk/help-for-your-business/pitch-to-convince/
Creating Community Through StartUp Social for 54 business owners and innovators
NEEB also continued to support grassroots entrepreneurship through the StartUp Social monthly events hosted at the ARISE Innovation Hub at Anglia Ruskin University. These informal, welcoming sessions of StartUp Social have become a regular fixture in the North Essex business calendar, bringing together founders, freelancers, and aspiring entrepreneurs, with over 50 regular attendees so far.
StartUp Social events provide a relaxed environment to network, share experiences, and learn from others at similar stages of their journey. By lowering the barriers to entry and focusing on community, these events have helped reduce isolation among founders and foster a sense of shared purpose across the local startup scene.
StartUp Social events happen monthly, with spaces free to book on Eventbrite
Championing Local Businesses at the North Essex Business Expo
A standout moment of 2025 was NEEB’s sponsorship of the North Essex Business Expo, demonstrating a strong commitment to visibility and opportunity for local businesses.
As part of this sponsorship, the North Essex Economic Board gave away 20 exhibition stands to local business owners, enabling them to showcase their products and services, connect with new customers, and build valuable relationships—many of whom might not otherwise have been able to afford to exhibit.
This initiative ensured that the Expo reflected the diversity, creativity, and ambition of North Essex’s business community, while giving small and growing firms a platform to raise their profile and unlock new opportunities.
Looking Ahead
Across 2025, the North Essex Economic Board has shown a clear focus on practical impact—supporting young entrepreneurs, strengthening business skills, improving access to support, and creating spaces for connection and visibility. As the region continues to grow and evolve, NEEB’s initiatives have laid strong foundations for a more inclusive, confident, and connected North Essex business ecosystem.