More than 7,500 businesses benefit from Peer Networks

Peer Networks provided a fully funded programme of business support that enabled more than 7,500 SME leaders across the UK to explore challenges and find solutions to growing their business.

Aimed at helping SMEs to deliver productivity improvements, the programme brought together small groups of senior figures to work collaboratively on their specific business issues and personal development. 

Funded by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), now Department for Business and Trade, the programme was delivered by the network of 38 Growth Hubs across England. The Growth Company led the design, mobilisation and coordination of the programme, providing practical development and coordination support working collaboratively with the programme key stakeholders.  
 
The programme was delivered to more than 900 cohorts from July 2020 to March 2022. It achieved a satisfaction rate of 95% from participants.  
 
Peer Networks was open to SMEs in England from any sector that had been operating for more than one year, employed between five and 249 staff members and had a turnover of at least £100,000.  
 
It offered four key benefits:  

• Peer learning: Participants found solutions to the real issues faced by businesses, through working with other local SME leaders who faced similar challenges. 
• Fully-funded: Peer Networks was a completely free programme. 
• Varied delivery, real results: Activities took place in structured, small-group sessions, led by a skilled professional facilitator, to make sure businesses accessed tangible results in return for the investment of time. 
• Non-competitive: Peer Networks bought together business leaders working collaboratively to find solutions to common problems. Participants comfortably shared expertise and benefitted from others.