Glasgow

Business Gateway is based in Exchange House, close to George Square in the city centre. We're here to provide advice and support to people who want to start a business in Glasgow - and to help existing businesses grow and be more successful.

From the Glasgow office we can signpost you to a whole range of business support services available in the city – a small selection is detailed below. Get in touch if you don't see the information you're looking for.

Thinking of Starting a Business?

There are many ways we can support your start-up journey.

Our Planning To Start tool is a great place to begin. It takes just 10 minutes to complete and provides you with an instant toolkit with key resources & information. We'll then connect you with a member of the team at our local office for further support.

Our website offers a business plan guide and template to download when you’re ready, market reports and research, as well as handy online guides and articles, video tutorials and podcasts. Plus, we have a great range of webinars to hone your start-up skills – from writing a business plan to marketing on a budget.

With our help, you could be in business sooner than you imagined.

Running a Business?

Our resources and one-to-one support can help you strengthen your business.

Whether you’re looking to take on premises or learn more about digital marketing, we can help you take the next step. Get started by taking 10 minutes to complete our Strengthen Your Business Tool and get a personalised dashboard of online resources and webinars.

We know that your time is in short supply, so we also offer one-to-one advice at a time and day to suit you. Together, you and your business adviser can create a strategic action plan to suit your ambitions.

Our online resources and webinars can help you learn new skills, create opportunities and gain confidence. From HR to restructuring, innovation and digital marketing - we can help. And if specialist input is required, we can connect you to other sources of support.

Improve your Digital Skills

Access webinars, online guides and a Digital Health Check.

From digital marketing strategy to social media, e-Commerce, cyber security and more, we can help boost your digital performance.

Our Digital Health Check is a great place to start. It will help pinpoint your digital strengths, areas you could improve, and how we can help, and it only takes 5 minutes to complete.

Property Advice Drop-In Service

We are delighted to be working in partnership with City Property to provide a fortnightly property advice drop-in service.

Clients can discuss with a Tenant Liaison Officer any aspect of commercial property such as finding an appropriate property, taking on a lease, what class of planning consent will be required etc.

Please speak to your Business Adviser to find out more.

Exporting Advice

Looking for advice on Exporting? Get 1:1 expert advice from an Export Adviser from SDI. This is a monthly service.

To book your 1:1 session please contact Business Gateway Glasgow on 0141 276 5333.

Young Entrepreneurs

If you're a young person thinking about starting a business, the Prince's Trust Youth Business Scotland programme can provide help, mentoring and funding to get you started.

The Prince's Trust Explore Enterprise course comprises a four-day workshop to learn about topics relevant to planning and running a business and to consider whether self-employment is right for you - whether you have an idea or not. It is designed to be practical, interactive and visual, based around discussions and activities. It aims to enable you to feel what running your own business would be like and what it would involve.

Ethnic Entrepreneurs

If you’re from a BME background, a refugee granted leave to remain in Glasgow, from one of the new European states or staying in Scotland under a post-study visa we have a unique Ethnic Entrepreneurship service to help you.

Intermediaries

We might not know the answer to your question – but we know someone who will!

Collectively we have a great network of business support partners to call on for specific, specialised, sectoral or expert help. We’ll signpost the most relevant and useful services for your business.

The Women's Business Centre

The Women's Business Centre is a website designed to support women at the pre-start and start-up through to growth stages of their business journey.

Operated by Women’s Enterprise Scotland, the Women's Business Centre website is free to access and offers dedicated, needs-based content on starting and growing a business, including stories, encouragement and top tips from leading business owners across Scotland.

Supplier Development Programme (SDP)

The Supplier Development Programme provides support through a range of free tender training, e-learning modules and Meet the Buyer events to help Scottish SMEs, social enterprises and third sector organisations in bidding for public sector opportunities.

Redundancy Support

Your local Business Gateway office can offer free support to any business considering making redundancies.

Our advisers can help you look at your business challenges and then help you make the next practical steps. Along with that we can introduce you to PACE – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.

Useful Links

Connect with other business support agencies to help your idea or business grow.

Glasgow City Council Business Support

www.business-glasgow.co.uk

Business Glasgow is Glasgow City Council’s Business Growth team, visit the website for information on all business support available.

Scottish Enterprise

www.scottish-enterprise.com

Scottish Enterprise is a public body funded by the Scottish Government to encourage economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business.

Scottish Development International

www.sdi.co.uk

SDI helps foreign companies invest and thrive in Scotland, and local enterprises make the most of international trade and global markets.

HMRC

www.hmrc.gov.uk

HMRC is the UK tax authority responsible for all aspects of taxation for individuals and companies operating from the UK.

mygov.scot

www.mygov.scot/business/develop-ideas-for-businesses/

Support for inventors and innovators to protect their ideas and commercialise their products.

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com

Membership organisation promoting the interests of Glasgow and Glasgow businesses at home and abroad.

DSL Business Finance

www.dsl-businessfinance.co.uk

Established in 1993 with a remit to "encourage and nurture profitable and sustainable enterprises in the areas that are amongst the most depressed and disadvantaged in Glasgow," DSL now provides loan funding for businesses across Scotland.

Federation of Small Businesses

www.fsb.org.uk

The FSB is the UK's largest non-political, not for profit campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms across Britain.

Business at the Mitchell

www.glasgowlife.org.uk

Business information and research services from Glasgow's main reference library.

Skills Development Scotland

www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk

Scotland's skills and employment body helping businesses recruit and develop their workforce through training and funding.

Intellectual Property Office

www.ipo.gov.uk

The IPO is the official government body responsible for Intellectual Property (IP) rights in the United Kingdom including patents, designs, trademarks and copyright.

Firstport

www.firstport.org.uk

Free start-up support for social enterprises.

CEIS

www.ceis.org.uk

Business support and capacity building for existing social enterprises.

Cultural Enterprise Office

www.culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk

Business advice and support for creative industries. Includes music, art, film, performance, writing and design.

Scottish Women in Business

www.scottishwomeninbusiness.org.uk

A membership body providing networking opportunities for business women in and around Glasgow.

The Prince's Trust

www.princes-trust.org.uk

If you’re 18 to 30, living in the UK and unemployed, or working fewer than 16 hours a week, and have a business idea or some ideas to explore, the Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme could be for you.

Other Business Support across Scotland

Information on the free advice and support available from Scotland’s public sector business support organisations is available to find, all in one place, at Find Business Support.

Find your nearest office

Business Gateway Glasgow

Exchange House
231 George Street
Glasgow
G1 1RX
Get directions
0141 276 5333

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday

09:00 to 17:00