Building businesses without borders across the RIGHT side of London...and beyond!
Building businesses without borders across the RIGHT side of London...and beyond!
Business East is a new business growth partnership, a membership community connecting enterprises across East London and West Essex.
We bring organisations together through stronger networks, practical collaboration and credible advocacy — helping our members grow while contributing to the wider strength of one of the UK’s most dynamic of economic corridors.
We’ll connect local enterprises with regionally influential and active “anchor institutions”, the “big guns” that make up the smaller percentage of East London & West Essex’s ¼-millon plus dynamic business community.
We'll design, deliver, manage and partner with others to provide solutions that create social, environmental, cultural and economic impact and celebrate success.
We'll act locally, regionally, nationally and internationally to encourage business investment.
We'll protect and create jobs that maintain and grow household incomes and local economies.
Business East is designed for businesses that want more than a directory, more than occasional networking and more than passive representation.
We are a modern membership community for enterprises that need sharper connections, stronger advocacy and practical support that reflects the realities of business today.
Spanning East London and West Essex, Business East serves a region of exceptional economic potential: one shaped by innovation, skills, infrastructure, entrepreneurship and incredible international connectivity.
East London continues to be one of the Capital’s most important and fastest growing business and regeneration zones.
West Essex is a major growth engine with substantial business density, investment ambition and nationally significant economic potential.
Both sit side by side on maps. Both share common beliefs.
Each shares a singular determination for growth.
We bring these ecosystems together to bolster networks and stimulate that growth.
Across the Business East zone, there's a huge corridor of untapped opportunity that runs down the Eastern side of our Capital and with two international airports, a 21st Century rail network, and development and business growth opportunities ours is an exciting part of the UK that needs to be understood, explored and exploited.
We’re not here to replace current networks.
We’re here to connect them and help you build them.
We’ll bring existing membership bodies, local commerce groups, federations and institutes and real and virtual networking organisations together.
Working together adds collective weight behind local growth initiatives with regional voice, exposure and inclusive collaboration.
The UK is blessed - and cursed - with ever-changing
political and administrative borders.
Business isn’t.
We’ll always advocate localism.
But we’re mindful there are important, influential cross-border issues.
With our support and our determination to collaborate across all sectors and with businesses at any stage in their growth journey, we can make a difference through genuine partnership working and not just social membership.
Importantly, we'll work with ALL businesses.
And that will never exclude "everyday enterprises" ... those that serve wide markets, the general population.
The non-tech, owner-operator-led businesses run by local people for local people that have limited resources but the same big ambitions.
NOW IS THE TIME!
For all stakeholders, time is tight, costs rise and investment must show ROI.
Traditional business support networks are under pressure to prove their relevance to modern business needs.
Now is the time to turn local economic development into wider economic growth.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR BUSINESS EAST.
At Business East, we are guided by a set of core values that drive our actions and decisions. These values include integrity, collaboration, innovation, excellence and absolute transparency. We believe in upholding these values in all our interactions with members, partners, and stakeholders.
We offer a range of programs and initiatives aimed at supporting the growth and development of businesses and trade organisations across the sub-region. Our programs include mentorship, training, and access to funding and resource development. We also organise events and conferences to facilitate networking and knowledge-sharing and growth opportunities among members.
We collaborate with a range of organisations and stakeholders to advance the interests of our members and promote business growth. Our partnerships include government agencies, industry associations, academic institutions, and other key players in our sub-region.
Business East has been created in response to recent dramatic shifts.
We believe the businesses of East London and Essex need a stronger shared platform: one that reflects the realities of place, sector and scale, and one that helps turn local ambition into collective strength.
Best practice guidance for membership organisations increasingly emphasises the importance of a clearly defined value proposition, stronger digital member journeys, simpler joining paths and visible evidence of impact.
Business East is being built with those principles in mind.