In summary
Happy New Year! As we embark on 2025, all of us here at FSB want to extend our warmest wishes for a successful and prosperous year ahead. As always, we will continue to do everything in our power to help protect and promote the interests of you, our members and will continue to lobby key decision makers and Government on your behalf. Please do keep in touch with us and let us know if there is anything we can help you with.
Featured news and events
Great Women in Business Meet up - 7 March 2025
This event will see four great communities coming together to celebrate International Womens Day. Join the Great Women in Business meet up on Friday 7 March 2025 at the National Conference Centre, Solihull to meet fabulous women who will empower and inspire you. This extraordinary event will help you connect with every person in the room. Instead of the standard 60-second pitch, you will lean to build relationships that grow a supportive, nurturing community. Throughout the day there will be the opportunity to hear from and meet the four inspiring women behind the Great Women in Business Meetup.
Early Bird tickets are available until 31 December 2024.
FSB Business Bootcamp: Ignite your business
Our FSB Business Bootcamp and Networking event is returning to Coombe Abbey on Monday 24 March 2025. Join us and over 230 small businesses at this free event to network and collaborate and hear from expert speakers throughout the day, giving their top tips which you can put into practice to help you get set for success in 2025. More here.
In other news
Pitch your Business
The Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up 2025 competition is still open (but you’ll need to be quick!). Over the last 10 years, the competition has been delivered by the Centre for Growth at Aston University, University of Birmingham Enterprise, and Minerva at the University of Warwick Science Park. Over this period, they have put more than 200 entrepreneurs directly in front of investors and helped bring over £65,000,000 of investments to the region's small businesses. The Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up competition provides the opportunity for ambitious businesses to improve their ability to win investment while simultaneously boosting their business's profile.
The application form is easy to complete, and applicants are required to submit a 5-slide pitch deck accompanied by a 90 second pitch video. Successful candidates will be supported through one of three practice pitching events held across the West Midlands. Shortlisted finalists will also be invited to exhibit and pitch at Venturefest West Midlands 2025 on Wednesday 19 March at Eastside Rooms.
Fancy Showcasing your Business During the West Midlands Business Festival 2025?
Businesses and organisations across the West Midlands are being invited to submit an application to host and event at the West Midlands Business Festival (WMBF) – applications must be in by 10 January.
Why not be part of a festival that will shape the future of business in the West Midlands – and beyond. The West Midlands Business Festival (WMBF) 2025 will run from 3–14 March. With around 70% of event slots already taken, time is of the essence. By submitting your application as early as possible, you can ensure key decision-makers and stakeholders have your event marked in their diaries before their schedules fill up.
This year’s festival is shaping up to be one of the largest B2B events in the UK, offering an unparalleled platform for businesses to access funding opportunities, financial advice, skills development resources, sustainability guidance and cutting-edge business innovation insights.
Supported by Business Growth West Midlands, the festival is more than just a two-week event – it’s a catalyst for lasting connections and collaboration. As a springboard for future growth, WMBF helps businesses create partnerships and strategies that drive progress long after the festival ends.
Applications to host an event must be submitted by the formal deadline of 10 January 2025. To get started, visit the West Midlands Business Festival website to explore resources, apply to host your event, or browse the exciting lineup of events already confirmed.
Nuneaton and Bedworth Business Support Drop in session
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is hosting a business support drop in session on 15 January at Eliot Park Innovation Centre, Nuneaton CV10 7RH, between 9.30am and 12pm. This session will see a range of local business support providers on hand to help talk you through and showcase the support they can offer to small businesses in the region. Business support providers attending include FSB, Warwickshire Skills Hub and Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub. Please feel free to drop in at any time.
Guest speaker role available at Coventry College
Coventry College is looking for guest speakers and business owners to help bring experiences of industry to students on various courses. Entreprenuship is one of the units for its HNC and HND Business students (aged between 22-29). The College is looking for a speaker to come in and talk to these groups about starting a new business, and some of the financial details and plans to consider. They are looking for speakers from 28 February onwards. Please contact Jas Atwal at the college for more details.
Still in the news
FSB Coventry Networking returns in January 2025
Join us for our friendly and informal in-person networking breakfast for businesses in and around Coventry at Baxter Baristas on 8 January. This is your opportunity to meet with other entrepreneurs, self-employed and small business owners to continue to network, collaborate and support each other. Attendees will each be given 60 seconds to introduce their business in a supportive, unpressured environment. To register see here.
Get a Free business Energy Assessment
The Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, in affiliation with Business Energy Advice Service, is a Government funded scheme offering over 4,000 FREE energy assessments to businesses in the West Midlands with an opportunity to apply for a grant funding between £1000 and £100,000. Get a tailored recommendation on how your business can reduce energy usage and save money. Through this programme, you will receive an analysis of the energy used in your building(s), industrial processes and operations through an onsite survey, followed by a comprehensive report. The aim is to identify cost/energy saving measures, provide an independent analysis of carbon and cost savings projects based on your energy consumption, help you gain a better understanding of your carbon emissions, enable you to set validated emissions targets, help you to embed a low carbon strategy within your company and set you on the path towards Net Zero. More information can be found here.
More news and activity near you
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for Warwickshire and Coventry is Lee Osbourne. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email us: [email protected]
- follow us on x: @FSBWarksandCov
- follow us on Facebook: @FSB.Coventry.Warwickshire
- connect with me on LinkedIn: Lee Osborne