A New Year Message from Enterprise M3 LEP Chair Michael Queen

As we move into the New Year we continue to face many of the challenges already experienced over the past 12 months. 

Enterprise M3 LEP joins you in renewed determination to overcome the current difficult trading conditions and emerge into a period of sustainable growth.

2021 demonstrated that our businesses are remarkable, resilient, flexible, innovative and creative, and, as we enter 2022 Enterprise M3 LEP’s Growth Hub will continue to provide the business support and signposting you need to focus on growth.

If the last two years have taught us anything, it is the power of partnership working – not just in weathering unprecedented trading conditions, but in rising to the challenges of delivering long-term sustainable growth.

We have seen some real success stories during the past year as we have engaged and worked with so many of you across different sectors, geographies and initiatives. A recent example is our development with the University of Surrey of the Animal Health Network, which partners the private sector with academia to create an ecosystem of innovative industries to address global health issues – from making sure our food supply is more sustainable to antimicrobial resistance. We are also bringing academia together with the private and public sectors at the Future Towns Innovation Hub at the University of Southampton Science Park where research scientists will collaborate with businesses and the region’s towns to develop low-carbon and sustainable engineering and technology innovations to create happier, healthier, and more prosperous places to live and work.

In 2022, EM3 will continue its leading role as a co-ordinator across sectors, industries, business, universities and local and national government. And as we emerge from the experience of COVID-19, our focus will be on the future, ensuring our region reaches its full potential, especially with regards to our transition to a net zero economy.

We will be supporting our businesses by giving practical, sensible and appropriate guidance to help them transition in a way which works for them – helping them cut costs, increase efficiency and become more competitive.

We will also be championing EM3’s outstanding low carbon industry, where we have 10% of the entire UK’s clean growth and low carbon industries, creating a powerful supply chain which is delivering collaborative growth in markets including alternative vehicles and fuels, building technologies, and renewable energy.

At EM3 LEP, we understand the importance of seizing every opportunity for our region’s economy to perform at its full capacity and our fundamental role in supporting our businesses to perform at their best.

We are here to help and together, we will make a difference.

Michael Queen

Chair, Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership