Small Business

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are essential to London economy’s past and future success. They account for 99.8% of all businesses in the capital, generate around half of all business turnover and sustain approximately 52% of all employment.

LEAP plays a key role in coordinating, marketing and making the case for business support interventions to help ensure London’s entrepreneurs and small business owners have access to the support they need to start, sustain and succeed.

There are a range of strategic and funding initiatives led by LEAP that support London’s businesses. These include:

Overseeing £160m of investment to support businesses, encourage innovation and support and deliver regeneration through London’s European Regional Development Fund. This includes London & Partners’ Business Growth Programme, the Mayor’s International Business Programme and the British Library’s Innovating for Growth Programme.

Investing £25m in a co-investment fund to leverage equity funding into early stage growth firms as they emerge from private accelerators, incubators and support programmes. 
Funding the Mayor’s Crowdfund London initiative, providing match-funding for a whole range of civic improvement projects;

Supporting businesses to access the skills they need through LEAP’s employer-led investments in London’s Further Education sector;

Funding the Mayor’s Crowdfund London initiative, providing match-funding for a whole range of civic improvement projects;

Helping London’s SMEs to become ‘greener’ through our investments in the Mayor’s Small Business Energy Efficiency Fund and grant funding businesses to introduce Low Emission Neighbourhoods in their street or area.