Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute some of the most dynamic firms in Tees Valley, making up 99.5% of the Tees Valley business base (17,840 companies). Although small businesses play a vital role in driving our local economy forward, they often face economic and institutional barriers to growth – principal among these is the inability to access sources of finance.

We know it can be difficult for people running their own firm to get the right help to support their expansion. This is why programmes such as Tees Valley Securing Investment (TVSI) are so important. Achieving £501,000 inward investment to the Tees Valley region, we look back at how we achieved this and what lies ahead for regional investment.