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How to Start a Business in Derbyshire

If you are thinking about starting a business in Derbyshire or would like to grow your existing business, we would love to help you.

Start Your Own Business in Derbyshire contains resources and the information that will help give your venture the best chance of success. It also highlights organisations who offer friendly advice and the services that you are likely to need as a new startup or local business owner.

Grants | Networking groups | Business advice | Mentoring | Co-working spaces

Local help for startups

There is plenty of help for startups in Derbyshire but where can it be found?

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Grants

Are you the provider start-ups in Derbyshire are looking for?

This category is currently open.

Be the first local business to claim it, and your logo, details and link will appear here - before your competitors even know local start-ups in Derbyshire are searching.

We only ever recommend one partner per classification per area. Claim yours for only £10 per year, or add a free listing instead.

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Local partners

Local people are starting businesses right now, and many have not yet chosen an accountant, bookkeeper, designer, web designer, premises, funding, business adviser or provider for anything else they need.

Be the one they find first - we only ever recommend one partner per trade, per area, for just £10 per year. Find out more

These local businesses have already claimed their exclusive spot and are keen to help local start-ups:

If you're considering starting a business or already running one in Derbyshire, this web page is designed to provide you with valuable information and resources to support your entrepreneurial journey. Derbyshire, located in the East Midlands region of England, offers a rich business landscape, a skilled workforce, and access to diverse markets.

Demographics of Derbyshire

Derbyshire is home to a diverse population and offers a range of business opportunities. As of the latest available data, the estimated population of Derbyshire is over 1 million residents. The county boasts a mix of rural and urban areas, creating a dynamic economic environment.

Major Towns and Cities

Derby: Derby is the largest city in Derbyshire and serves as its administrative center. It has a population of over 250,000 residents and is known for its strong manufacturing and engineering sectors. Derby offers a supportive business community and excellent transport links.
Chesterfield: Chesterfield is a historic market town located in Derbyshire. With a population of over 100,000 residents, it is known for its thriving retail sector and strong sense of community. Chesterfield offers a mix of traditional and modern business opportunities.
Swadlincote: Swadlincote is a town in Derbyshire known for its industrial heritage. It has a population of over 30,000 residents and offers opportunities in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and retail.
Buxton: Buxton is a picturesque spa town in Derbyshire, attracting tourists and offering opportunities in the hospitality and leisure sectors. It has a population of over 20,000 residents and a thriving arts and cultural scene.

Local Authorities in Derbyshire

Local authorities in Derbyshire can be useful for navigating regulatory requirements and accessing relevant services. Here are some key local authorities in Derbyshire along with their website links:

Business Support Organisations in Derbyshire

Derbyshire offers a range of business support organisations dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and businesses thrive. Whether you need assistance with funding, networking, training, or general guidance, these organisations can provide valuable resources. Here are a few noteworthy business support organisations in Derbyshire, along with their website links:

We hope this guide serves as a valuable resource for starting or running a business in Derbyshire. Explore the websites of local authorities and business support organisations for further information and assistance. Good luck on your entrepreneurial journey in Derbyshire!

Free Startup Guide

Download the 2026 edition of our Free Start Your Own Business guide

An interactive step-by-step guide which also includes all of the most important subjects covered in an easy-to-read way with links to useful online articles and relevant contacts.

The idea of starting your own business can be incredibly exciting and who can blame you for being tempted?

However, the sad truth is that far too many new enterprises fail in the early stages. Our aim is to make sure that you don't become one of them.

This guide explains the key start-up subjects in simple English.

There is also plenty of help available in the area and much of it is free - please do make the most of it.

Key Contacts in Derbyshire

'You don't know what you don't know' is a phrase that is so applicable to starting a new business.

Derbyshire is a great place for start-ups but your chances of success are dramatically improved if you make the most of the support that is available locally. Click on logos to visit their websites.

Networking

FSB East Midlands Region

Our East Midlands Region is broken down into three areas. If you want to get in touch with the East Midlands team about a local business issue, event or local support in your area please use the details below. Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Email: nicola.moss@fsb.org.uk Tel:07917 628922 Lincolnshire Email: jacqueline.richardson@fsb.org.uk Tel: 07816 453462 Leicestershire, Northants & Rutland Email: nicola.moss@fsb.org.uk Tel:07917 628922

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Advice

First Enterprise

In our history we have worked with thousands of start-ups and growing businesses to help them follow their dreams and achieve their goals. We work across the East Midlands and South East Midlands as a not for profit, public sector funded organisation to provide vital business support, advice, business loans and new start finance.

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Web design

Digital Ethos

Our digital marketing agency is an extension of your internal marketing team, bringing you and your business digital strategy, expertise and results to the areas you need most. If your brand needs to drive business growth, increase conversion rates, generate leads or boost sales, visibility and engagement, Digital Ethos have the perfect solution for you. Every company needs that little boost ahead of the competition, and a carefully devised Search Engine Optimisation or SEO strategy could be the answer. SEO is a way of improving your website so it appears higher in Google’s search results. It works for other search engines too, like Bing. Our SEO team will carefully devise a strategy that increases your search visibility where it matters and keep you up to date with the latest Google changes. SEO packages vary, but we focus on four aspects to ensure we’re steering your site in the right direction The team at Digital Ethos is a big believer in that people don’t just buy what you do, they buy why you do it. That is why we take a custom approach to each and every client and really get to know your business and your core values and vision in order to craft tailored strategies and campaigns that meet your unique business goals and objectives. Digital Ethos helps businesses in Derby get more organic traffic from search engines

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Advice

Derbyshire County Council

Derbyshire Cunty Council business support and advice. Provide support and help for businesses in a variety of ways.

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Advice

Derbyshire Economic Partnership

Start up advice, inspiration and support. Information to help you settle, promote and grow your business within Derbyshire. Much of this assistance is free. To help businesses find the support they need,The D2N2 Growth Hub links businesses with an ambition to grow in the D2N2 area, the UK's most inspirational postcode, with support and information, the Growth Hub is the gateway for businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

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Accountancy

Coleman Bradshaw

Coleman Bradshaw are a progressive team of accountants and professional advisers providing accounting & business support services to ambitious small businesses and start-ups. We are here to minimise tax, maximise cash and profits, and provide peace of mind. So what makes us different? We communicate actively with our clients and business community. We love to help business to grow and become more successful, and we are committed to providing a highly responsive and energetic customer service experience - precisely what you need to support you in the fast-paced world of growing a small business or launching a start-up.

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Advice

D2 Business Starter Programme

The D2 Business Starter Programme has just one purpose; to seek out and assist owners of brilliant ideas across the County. The D2 Business Starter Programme is an exciting new initiative giving all Derbyshire residents the opportunity to explore your business potential and learn how to set up a new business with series of flexible, fully funded workshops and one-to-one support. This support will be delivered by experienced professionals working with small groups at local venues across the County.

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Advice

D2N2 Growth Hub

Interested in starting your own business? There are a number of organisations both locally and nationally that can help you, listed below by local council area. There are a number of things to think about. These are listed in the section on business planning (opens in new window) along with a checklist of what you need to do.

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Advice

Being Your own Boss

Have you ever thought about working for yourself? Take the first step to starting your own business. This course will show you how to set up a simple money management system for your new business.

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Networking

Business Peak District

Business Peak District is an organisation with over 700 members that seeks to act as a single voice for businesses in and around the Peak District and as a representative of their interests to our partner organisations. Our vision is for a Peak District with a distinctive, high quality rural environment and an enterprising, growing and sustainable rural economy. Membership is free to businesses in and around the Peak District and it’s environs, across all sectors.

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Advice

BES

Business Enterprise Support – or BES – is a not-for-profit social enterprise primarily dedicated to helping people to start and successfully run their own businesses or social enterprises. BES have helped thousands of people from all different backgrounds prepare, fund and successfully launch businesses of their own across the West Midlands.

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Advice

Launchpad

The Launchpad programme provides free support to pre-start and new businesses in the Sheffield City Region. It is a new, fully inclusive programme designed to help ambitious entrepreneurs set up and run successful businesses and support SMEs under 2 years old to take the next step and grow their business.

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Dove Computer Solutions Ltd

At Dove Computer Solutions, we provide professional I.T. solutions, help desk support and cloud services to a range of customers including large organisations through to home users. We combine technological expertise with friendly local service to deliver affordable solutions to our customers. Our team of highly qualified engineers provide helpful advice and solutions without the jargon. No matter how small or large your IT requirements, Dove Computers have solutions to suit you and make your day-to-day life easier. STARTUP OFFER If you are a startup business or have been operating a business for less than 12 months you qualify for 3 months unlimited, offsite support to cover all of your IT equipment. Contact us for more information.

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Networking

East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire)

The Chamber is the leading business organisation in the East Midlands. With a growing membership of more than 3,800 businesses and 3,000 affiliates, it is the second largest chamber of commerce in the country. The Chamber offers Members extensive networking opportunities and a wide range of discounted services. Address: Commerce Centre, Canal Wharf, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 7NA

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Advice

Creative Derbyshire

The overwhelming majority of artists and creative businesses are micro businesses or self employed individuals. Whether you are starting your creative business from scratch or buying a business or franchise, it can be a daunting process. There is however, a range of support available to creative businesses, both in terms of general and specialist support and guides.

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Advice

Business Derbyshire

Business Derbyshire. The overall vision for our business support theme is to ensure that we improve the rates of business formation, survival and growth within Derbyshire to ensure greater economic prosperity.

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Advice

The Big House

Business support, events, grants and professional advice for creative and digital businesses in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The Big House programme has already helped many creative and digital entrepreneurs and small businesses to move to the next level. Take a moment to learn about the free support available to enable your idea or business to develop and grow.

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Advice

Doing Good Business

Programme for unemployed people in Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Chesterfield, Derbyshire Dales and NE Derbyshire Districts. If you are aged 25+, not currently working and living in one of the above districts, the Doing Good Business programme can help you. Funded by Big Lottery and the European Social Fund it provides free one-to-one advice, practical support to manage your personal circumstances, help to develop your skills and personal strengths and expert advice & guidance on key topics. We can also help by covering the costs of travel, childcare and other items while you are taking part in the programme.

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Funding

D2N2 - Digital Growth Programme

Want to move your business to the Digital Age? Discover how the Digital Growth Programme can help you. The Digital Growth Programme is a £7.25 million project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which provides dedicated support to enterprises located in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The Programme aims to support growing businesses to explore and introduce new and emerging ICT products and services into their business to improve competitiveness and productivity consequently driving economic growth across the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership area.

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Networking

Find Networking Events in Derbyshire

Find Networking Events is the UK's leading directory of networking meetings. Events are sub divided by region and this page covers Derbyshire.

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Networking

East Midlands Chamber of Commerce

Putting your business needs at the heart of our strategy. Helping you measurably engage, enrich and enhance your business. The Chamber represents a complex business ecosystem in the heartland of the UK. Whatever the sector, shape or size of your organisation, our primary focus is to help you thrive.

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Networking

Love Business East Midlands

Love Business is free and its aim is to help you achieve your business goal - whether that's increased profits, work life balance or something else. It started with a business event in the East Midlands and has grown to a movement which engages people who Love Business and pulls together all the organisations who can help businesses of any size.

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Start-up articles

100's of free startup articles

We have created a collection of 100s of startup articles to help anyone with whatever stage they are on with their business journey. Hundreds of thousands of people have gone before you and we can learn from what they got right and avoid the things that have been proved not to work so well.

You can see the full list of 'articles' at: How to start a business