Please see below events, updates and support available provided by Chris Mitchell from AD:Venture Business & Skills support programme.
AD:VENTURE Workshops and Webinars
25th June – Become a Thought Leader: How to Develop a Personal Brand
2nd July – So What? Tools to Enhance your Strategic Thinking
7th July – Developing Your Business Plan
9th July – From Zero Pipeline to Predictable Growth: A Practical Outbound Workshop for Founders
9th July – Introduction to Cash Flow Forecasting
16th July – Strategic Website Content for Improved Visibility
17th July – Turn Conversations Into Customers Using WhatsApp API
24th July – The Business Growth Clinic: Diagnose. Unblock. Move Forward
The King’s Awards for Enterprise
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of:
- young founder
- innovation
- international trade
- sustainability
- promoting opportunity through social mobility
What happens if your organisation gets an award
If you get an award you’ll be:
- invited to a Royal reception
- presented with the award at your company by one of The King’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant
- able to fly The King’s Awards flag at your main office, and use the emblem on your marketing materials (for example, on your packaging, advertisements, stationery and website)
- given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative trophy
The awards are valid for 5 years.
Organisations that got an award have reported benefiting from:
- worldwide recognition
- increased commercial value
- access to wider export markets
- greater press coverage
- a boost to staff morale
https://www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise You can now apply for the 2027 awards until Tuesday 8 September 2026
She Scales: Female Founders Connection/Co‑working
She Scales is a monthly female founders connection and co‑working day. It is a dedicated space for women who are building and growing businesses. The session brings people together to share experiences, exchange insight, and build a community.
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/she-scales-female-founders-connectioncoworking-4829578
England’s Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme Opens Soon
Farmers in England will soon be able to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI26), a revised approach to agricultural payments designed to support family farms and environmental management.
The scheme is backed by £240 million for new agreements, building on more than £560 million already committed. It aims to reward practical actions such as improving soil health, maintaining water quality and creating wildlife habitats. Funding is intended to support farm resilience and food production.
Each business will be limited to one agreement, with an annual cap of £100,000 per agreement. The SFI management payment will not apply to new agreements, and most actions will run on three-year terms.
A separate allocation of at least £50 million will support Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreements for targeted environmental work.
The approach also encourages reduced reliance on synthetic fertilisers to lower input costs and improve resilience overall.
Applications will open from 30 June 2026 for small farms and those without an existing Environmental Land Management revenue agreement. A second window in September 2026 will allow all farmers and land managers to apply https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sustainable-farming-incentive-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders
eBay for Business Awards Offer Cash Prizes and Seller Support
eBay (UK) Limited is accepting entries for its 2026 eBay for Business Awards, a programme for sellers operating on eBay.co.uk. The awards are intended to recognise growth achievements among the UK’s eBay business operators and to provide winners with resources intended to support further growth.
There will be prizes for the winners of each of these seven categories:
• eBay Live Star Award
• AI Expert Seller Award
• Community Contribution Award
• Rising Star Award
• Business Seller of the Year
• eBay Social Seller of the Year
• Social Impact Award
Each prize winner will receive £10,000. Winners will also receive a business support package, including access to eBay Marketplace Advisors for three months of one-to-one support. In addition, each winner will receive £1,000 in Promoted Listings credit.
Entry is open to applicants aged 18 or over who are part of a UK based B2C registered company and who were selling on eBay.co.uk prior to entry. Applicants must also meet eBay’s seller performance requirements and must not have a below standard account as defined in its Seller Standards policy.
The deadline for applications is 3 July 2026 https://www.ebay.co.uk/sml/ebayforbusiness_sellerawards
Up and Coming AD:VENTURE Workshops for Jul 2026 – all businesses welcome
2nd July – So What? Tools to Enhance your Strategic Thinking
9th July – From Zero Pipeline to Predictable Growth: A Practical Outbound Workshop for Founders
16th July – Strategic Website Content for Improved Visibility
24th July – The Business Growth Clinic: Diagnose. Unblock. Move Forward
UK Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme Opens for Scale-up Employers
A grant programme has opened to reimburse eligible visa application fees for UK-based scale-ups hiring international specialists and their dependants. The Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale-Ups (VFRS4SU) is is intended to reduce costs associated with overseas recruitment in the Clean Energy, Life Sciences and Digital and Technologies sectors.
Eligible businesses can apply for up to £25,000 per year. Reimbursement is capped at £5,000 per international hire and their dependants. Awards are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The grant supports reimbursement of eligible visa fees incurred on or after 9 June 2026. Businesses must recruit through approved visa routes, including Skilled Worker, Global Talent and Scale Up visas. Applicants are also required to pass due diligence and assurance checks and hold a valid UK bank account for payments.
To be eligible, applicants must be UK-based scale-ups, defined as enterprises with average annualised growth of more than 20% in either employment or turnover over a continuous three-year period, starting from at least 10 employees at the beginning of that period.
Organisations must operate in at least one of the eligible sectors. Clean Energy includes supply chain, manufacturing, deployment, construction and maintenance of clean energy assets and products. Life Sciences covers pharmaceutical products, medical technologies and digital health products. Digital and Technologies includes organisations developing and applying advanced technologies and digital tools intended to enable economic and sectoral transformation.
Applicants must also hold a valid UK visa sponsor licence and demonstrate an established UK presence, either through Companies House registration or as an overseas company with a registered UK establishment and physical place of business.
The deadline for applications is 1 March 2027 https://find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/visa-fees-reimbursement-scheme-for-scale-ups-1
The Kirkwood
Kirkwood provide care and support to patients and families across Kirklees, following a life limiting illness diagnosis. It is calculated 1% of the adult Kirklees population is either directly or indirectly effected by this. It is uncommon for Kirkwood patients to be of working age, the charity can offer practical support in these situations.
With only 1/3rd of income guaranteed, the charity is heavily reliant upon the support of the community to deliver its services. There are many ways a business can get involved, from volunteering to fundraising or using their well-recognized brand across Kirklees, to promote your brand, through sponsoring one of their campaigns/events.
The Kirkwood Business Movement is a vibrant membership of over 120 locally based business’s. Their networking events for their members is held quarterly, the next one on the 16th July. If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved get in touch with Beverley.Shaw@thekirkwood.org.uk
Yorkshire & Humber Tender Opportunities
https://yortender.eu-supply.com/ctm/supplier/publictenders?B=YORTENDER
For more information please get in touch with Chris Mitchell, Business Manager, AD:VENTURE – Business Support