Amazon seeks to super charge the growth of small businesses in Greater Manchester

Amazon is taking small businesses in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas inside their state-of-the-art robotics fulfilment centre in Bolton to show first-hand how they innovate.

The Amazon Innovation Accelerator, launching this week, draws together expertise from Amazon, Amazon Web Services, The Growth Company and Made Smarter. Together they will deliver a series of free workshops and mentoring sessions to kick start growth in the businesses involved, and productivity in the region.

The initiative provides a unique opportunity for small businesses to see in person how Amazon embraces new technologies and applies innovation to scale up. The fulfilment centre is emblematic of how Amazon streamlines processes, improves safety, and increases efficiency with robotic automation taking over certain duties, allowing employees to focus on more rewarding and engaging work.

Small business minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “This programme is a fantastic example of industry working to support small businesses and local communities. This scheme, on top of over £48m in government backed Start Up Loans issued so far to local businesses, will scale up SMEs in Greater Manchester, supporting jobs and growth in the region.”

Neil Travis, regional operations director at Amazon said: “The success of small businesses is vital to Amazon, and we want to use the expertise of our teams in Greater Manchester to be a catalyst for growth and productivity for more local businesses and have a positive impact on jobs and the community.”

Greater Manchester was chosen as the launch location due to the strong existing business community in the area and to utilise Amazon’s significant investment and footprint in the region. Amazon has supported small businesses in the UK for the last 25 years and in Greater Manchester there are almost 7,000 small businesses selling on Amazon, generating just under £200m of export sales in 2022.

The programme will be run in collaboration with Made Smarter North West Adoption Programme, who help local manufacturing small businesses to understand and overcome operational challenges through digital technologies, offering localised advice and support, digital transformation workshops and roadmaps, leadership development and funding support for technology adoption projects

Ruth Hailwood, organisation Development Specialist at Made Smarter, said: “We are delighted to build on a collaboration with Amazon that began with support for our Digital Champions, to share best practice on use of technology and their insights around culture of innovation with small businesses.”

Lou Cordwell OBE, chair of Greater Manchester Business Board (LEP), said: “For Greater Manchester’s economy to become more productive, we need to find ways to support innovation within businesses of all sizes. More innovation among small businesses can unlock better productivity, which in turn gives us increased wages, higher growth and good-quality jobs.”

Bolton Council Leader, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “Bolton is lucky to have a strong and diverse manufacturing sector ranging from small businesses to major international firms. This new programme will help build on our success, allowing these smaller local businesses to exchange ideas and learn from an industry leader in innovation.”

Mark Logan, MP for Bolton North East said: “Championing our small businesses in Bolton North East is central to so much of my work. That is why I support the Amazon Innovation Accelerator scheme. Amazon’s plan to provide free workshops and mentoring sessions to our local businesses will be vital to help improve their reach.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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