Startup Support in...Sheffield
by Startacus Admin
Sheffield based early-stage startups and entrepreneurs take note - here's the lowdown on key startup support and help available where you are...
Away from the established startup hubs like London, the support for setting up a business isn’t always so clear. It’s not a lack of support, just a quieter ecosystem that takes a little more work to unearth. We want to help with this by highlighting what some cities, which might not spring immediately to mind at the mention of ‘startups’, have to offer.
We did say this would be fairly random, and sure enough after startup support in Cardiff, we’re skipping back over the border once again and up to Sheffield, the home of steel...
Co-Working space
Union St workspace comes in the form of hot desking, fixed desks, or dedicated offices, both of the former within the same open-plan, friendly space. The price for a 
12-month contract is £150 per month and includes free access to meeting rooms and event space, frequent social activities, a different independant street vendor serving lunch each day, and - this one’s huge - an on-site barista. Move to Sheffield immediately.
Omnia Offices have recently opened a co-working space at Courtwood House, with additional serviced offices. Everything is refurbished and bright and new, and it includes the usual reception services, free tea and coffee, daily cleaning, and meeting rooms.
Sheffield Technology Parks offers flexible working space and office space in a brought and roomy lounge, and includes the usual free refreshments. It also offers a 6-month residency programme for startups.
Studio One offers co-working space for creatives in the the 1920s Abbeydale Picture House. There are 10 desks available and access is only Monday to Friday, which must be taken into consideration, but this is beautiful and historically rich location to work from.
Finances
In partnership with Sheffield Enterprise Agency, Virgin StartUp provides £500-25,000 in funding, as well as a personal mentor for 12 months. This is available only to startups who are pre-trading or within their first 12 months of trading.
This could easily go in the ‘programmes’ section, but Ready For Business, delivered by Barclays is a startup programme with the aim of improving your business’s chance of securing funding. This is a bespoke package of services, but only those considered eligible after a free one-day introductory event will continue to the next stage.
For SMEs in all of South Yorkshire, the South Yorkshire Investment Fund offers seedcorn finance of £50k-500k and equity-based investment of £100k-2.5m, as well as loans.
Angel CoFund is a Sheffield-based venture capital investment fund for early-stage businesses. Their typical investment is £100k-1m in almost any sector.
The startup ecosystem and programmes
Delivered by Business Sheffield, Launchpad is a business support service for startups and early-stage businesses under 2 years old. It offers free access to a range of services, from business support and advice, to mentoring, to workshops and training events.
Dotforge is a tech-for-good accelerator based in 3 cities, including Sheffield. Like any good accelerator, it offers workshops, mentors, and investment. Because they are 
partnered with a number of well-respected brands - such as the National Lottery, Tech North, and the NHS - they also provide access to an important network.
The Y Accelerator is an intensive 3-month programme of advice, mentors, workshops, market research, 1-to-1 support, and more. The conclusion of the programme is a pitch event to investors.
For Sheffield’s digital sector, Sheffield.digital is a community/network with newsletter, events and opportunities, and podcast.
As always, this is not an exhaustive list, so feel free to let us know at editorial@startacus.net if you think there is a particularly deserving entity in any of these categories.
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Published on: 20th December 2018
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