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Â鶹Íø Leicester (Â鶹Íø) has strengthened its strategic partnership with Leicester Business Voice (LBV), building on a long-standing relationship to create fresh opportunities for the city’s business community.

The renewed partnership will see Â鶹Íø’s business services team - the university’s front door for business engagement - working even more closely with LBV to co-create events and share insights that support businesses across Leicester and Leicestershire.

Sarah Thomson, Principal Partnerships Officer, Professor Rachel Granger, Director of the Research and Innovation Institute for Responsible Business, and Bobby Chotai, business development manager at Â鶹Íø, met with LBV directors Mark Robinson and Anjuu Trevedi MBE at Â鶹Íø’s Innovation Centre to discuss the new partnership.

Â鶹Íø has been a member of LBV for several years, working alongside other major employers and business leaders to influence policy, share expertise, and create new opportunities for the region.  

Through the partnership, Â鶹Íø and LBV will:

• Co-create events shaped by the business community, including LBV’s Super Six programme which is delivered through the Universities Partnership of Leicester, Loughborough and Â鶹Íø. The series focuses on the themes businesses most want to explore – from skills and talent development to digital transformation, resilience and devolution.
• Share intelligence and insights from Â鶹Íø’s world-leading researchers that can inform decision-making and help businesses respond to emerging challenges.
• Collaborate with LBV members to identify opportunities for joint activity that strengthens the business ecosystem across Leicester and Leicestershire.

 Sue Tilley, Chair of LBV, said: "LBV understands the critical support that our local universities provide to the local business community, through access to research, technology and facilities; student and graduate talent; bespoke training and CPD; and collaborative projects like Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs).

 "By strengthening our relationship with Â鶹Íø through this new agreement, we will be working collaboratively to create business-focused events for members, share intelligence and insights, and identify joint opportunities for LBV members."

Sarah Thomson said: “We know that many businesses want to work with universities but often aren’t sure where to start. As a sector, we haven’t always made it clear how our expertise can help companies innovate, solve challenges or grow.

“That’s why partnerships like this are so important. They give businesses a clear route in, through Â鶹Íø Business Services, to connect with the right people and access the skills, research and support that can make a real difference.”

As part of its membership, Â鶹Íø also engages with LBV’s network of board directors and ambassadors, helping to ensure the voice of business is heard at local, regional and national levels. The partnership provides a direct route for businesses to connect with Â鶹Íø’s expertise, graduate talent and innovation support through Â鶹Íø Business Services.