Lucky number 13 for city business investment project

17th November 2014

Business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the Sheffield City Region have submitted expressions of interest to a major scheme to help identify and develop transformational industry projects.

To date, 13 Expressions of Interest (EoI) have been started for the 'Big Ideas Project' (BIP), an initiative being led by Chambers of Commerce from across the Sheffield City Region which is expected to act as a catalyst to generate significant growth opportunities for South Yorkshire and the North Midlands. Projects, typically above £10m and up to £75m, will be put forward to an evaluation board featuring local and national business leaders, with the best and bankable BIP suggestions going forward to a group of investment fund managers. The evaluation board, which will engage on BIP with key partners including the Chambers, MPs and the LEP, includes University of Sheffield Vice Chancellor Sir Keith Burnett, Managing Director of Future Life Wealth Management Jill Thomas and David Thurkettle, a PwC director and president of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce. Jill Thomas said: -We currently have 13 people/organisations that have registered interest and are collecting information together to finalise their EOIs. -This is great news we were always confident that there were plenty of ideas out there and this proves it. The next step is to help get them into a form that can go in front of the funders. -Our aim is for three or four successfully funded projects to emerge. The deadline for BIP submissions is the end of November. Jill added: -Through BIP we really want to give the local economy a step change by identifying and providing relevant support to some large, transformational projects. -The ideas could come from any sector. It is about finding the best ones that could make a real difference. Further information on BIP is available at www.bip.uk.com where an expression of interest document is available.