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Supporting London's businesses

Helping London's businesses to thrive

In 2010/11, we will be:

  • investing in London’s businesses
  • providing intensive support for businesses
  • providing free business seminars with major business advice firms
  • working with London’s private sector to get the best outcomes for London.

Designer in studio

London’s economy depends on a dynamic private sector. It is the London Development Agency’s (LDA’s) job to work with the capital’s businesses to provide the support they need to prosper and grow, and to emerge from the recession stronger than ever.

By working in partnership with business and key employers, we promote innovation, support business competitiveness and provide support, advice, training and finance to help businesses and start-ups thrive.

LDA activities

We work to support the capital's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a number of ways, including:

Help and advice

The LDA provides high-quality, timely and appropriate business advice to SMEs through services such as Business Link in London , the British Library Business & IP Centre, and the London Manufacturing Advisory Service.

Accessing finance

We offer information and support to help businesses access a range of finance products through programmes such as Understaing Finance for Business and seminars in partnership with major organisations, including Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, PwC, KPMG and Deloitte.

Innovation

We aim to stimulate SME innovation and growth through programmes such as Knowledge Connect, which helps companies tap into the knowledge base. Other programmes such as Designing Demand enable SMEs to use design to improve their performance.

Opportunities

We are working to help business make the most of the opportunities created by hosting the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games through services such as CompeteFor.

Big business

As well as supporting SMEs, we also work with large companies to make the most effective use of our resources and help us to meet our economic goals around skills, social inclusion and improved environmental performance.

International markets

The LDA also works in partnership with UK Trade & Investment to help London’s businesses access new markets overseas and capitalise on London’s visitor economy.