Hertfordshire Futures has appointed YTKO as the new provider of its Hertfordshire Growth Hub business support service, effective Thursday 14 May, following a competitive procurement process.

Businesses will continue to access the same expert, impartial support through the Growth Hub, with no change for service users as a result of this transition.

YTKO Ltd is one of the UK’s leading business support providers, with over 45 years’ experience in delivering high-impact business support, skills, and growth programmes. It has supported more than 30,000 businesses and 70,000 individuals nationwide, helping to create jobs, improve productivity, and strengthen local economies. Most recently, it has delivered the Growth Hub for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) and the Suffolk element of the New Anglia Growth Hub.

The Hertfordshire Growth Hub service was previously delivered by a consortium of partners led by Exemplas Ltd., together with the University of Hertfordshire and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce.

Adrian Hawkins, Chair of Hertfordshire Futures, said: “Over the last decade, our Growth Hub has made a major contribution to the county’s economy. It has supported more than 14,000 businesses, worked with over 150 partners, and helped to create and safeguard over 2,800 jobs during a period of significant economic turbulence. We are grateful to Exemplas and consortium partners for their leadership, commitment, and impact over this period.”

Lee Hughes, CEO of YTKO, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Hertfordshire Futures to deliver the Hertfordshire Growth Hub and support businesses across the county. SMEs are the backbone of the local economy, and our focus will be on providing practical, high-quality support that helps businesses grow, innovate, and adapt with confidence.

“We look forward to building on the strong foundations already established and working collaboratively with partners, stakeholders and the business community to maximise economic impact across Hertfordshire.”

Future priorities
Hertfordshire’s Economic Strategy sets a bold ambition for the county to become the UK’s innovation heartland by 2036. To meet this goal, our focus has evolved from volume to impact – with greater emphasis on actively supporting businesses with strong growth potential through a more targeted advisory offer.

However, the Growth Hub will remain the primary gateway to business support in Hertfordshire through its triage and signposting service. It will also continue to prioritise business resilience, helping SMEs respond to the challenging economic climate.

Strong relationships with the wider business support ecosystem will remain a priority. The Growth Hub will work closely with local and national delivery organisations to ensure businesses are connected to the most appropriate support at every stage of their growth journey.

The Growth Hub plays an integral role within Hertfordshire Futures’ wider business support offer, working alongside programmes such as Get Enterprising and the upcoming Creating Growth programme to provide a comprehensive pathway for businesses – from start-up and early-stage development through to scaling and innovation-led growth.

We look forward to working with YTKO to build on the Growth Hub’s strong foundations and to support businesses in Hertfordshire to innovate, accelerate, and thrive.

Visit: hertsgrowthhub.com
Call: 01752 936065
Email: enquiries@hertsgrowthhub.com