London’s one million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the city’s economy.
As part of delivering the London Growth Plan, London & Partners has worked with the Mayor of London and organisations across London to develop the Business Support Strategy.
This strategy sets out a clear framework to help SMEs start, scale and grow in the capital, from early stage and foundational SMEs through to high-growth scaleups.
The strategy's ambition is that by 2035, London will have a world-leading business support system that is inclusive, sustainable and easy to navigate – ensuring every SME in the capital can thrive.
The Business Support Strategy is underpinned by an independent evidence review [PDF 36 MB] and we've reached out to more than 800 stakeholders across London’s business support ecosystem, ensuring it reflects the real needs of London’s SMEs.
Business Support Strategy foundations
Foundation one: backing London’s businesses with world-class infrastructure
Make business support easy to find through frictionless, pan-London navigation.
Foundation two: high-quality support for every London business
Working with investors to address gaps in business support, including provision for underrepresented entrepreneurs, stage-appropriate support, emerging needs such as AI and net zero, investment readiness and frontier innovation.
Foundation three: securing sustainable funding
Convening partners and advocating for the conditions needed to unlock long-term, sustainable investment in high-quality business support for London’s SMEs.
London's Business Support Strategy: full report [PDF 15.5 MB]
A joint strategy
This is a joint strategy developed by London & Partners and the Mayor of London, with input from London Councils and some of the major private investors in business support provision in London.