Devon Delivers for business success and work/life balance
Devon is being showcased as a great place to do business as part of a campaign to attract companies to the county.
Devon Delivers, which aims to encourage businesses to relocate to the county, has launched a new video and website to highlight the county’s unique selling points as Devon looks to make a strong economic recovery post-pandemic.
For companies considering expanding or relocating, the new Devon Delivers website provides a gateway to all the relevant information, research, premises and support to help businesses discover what makes Devon such an attractive prospect.
This initiative, which is designed to promote Devon to businesses across the UK and worldwide, is supported by Devon County Council.
Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, explains: “Devon can boast employment, skills and apprenticeships at above the national average, and it is hoped that additional investment will further develop the range and depth of business activity in our county, bolstering our position as a thriving location.
“As a Devon business owner myself, I whole heartedly support this initiative. We’re fortunate to live and work in what I believe is the best part of the UK, and if Covid-19 has taught us anything it’s that businesses can work anywhere. Devon has everything a business needs to thrive: access to staff, skills and outstanding business support.
“Our new website and video highlight exactly what makes Devon such a special place. By demonstrating the merits of Devon to a much wider audience we want to encourage businesses to take the next step and invest. With our beautiful Devon environment and a lifestyle that is hard to beat, why wouldn’t you move your business here?”
Crowdcube is one of the businesses which features on the new Devon Delivers website. It was founded in Devon in 2011 and has since become Europe’s biggest crowdfunding platform. The company has helped more than 1,000 businesses successfully raise growth finance and its community has grown to over 1 million members, who have collectively invested over £1billion on the platform to date.
Luke Lang, co-founder of Crowdcube, said: “It’s been an incredible 10 years since Crowdcube launched from a small office in Exeter. Devon has helped shape the company, the people we employ, our values and our brand, every step of the way. We’ve proven that you can attract top people from renowned businesses like eBay and Google, nurture exceptional local talent and disrupt national and international markets from the South West. As a proud Devonian it gives me immense pride to fly the flag for our city, county and region and help shine a spotlight on the best from the west.”
Devon Delivers runs an Ambassador scheme which engages Devon based companies to promote Devon by sharing their experiences, networking, attending events and mentoring.
Among its Ambassadors are Andrea and Mike Jessop, the founders and owners of Moo Free Chocolates. They relocated their business from Reading to Holsworthy in Devon in 2016 and have since expanded their site.
Andrea Jessop said: "Since we came to Devon, we’ve been able to employ the right people with specialist skills and knowledge. Within two years of being in Devon, we had to build another factory! We have a brilliant team in place that has been able to deal with the challenges of the last year."
Devon County Council has worked with district councils and other partners across the county to ensure the Devon Delivers website is a ‘One Devon’ platform for anyone considering opportunities to locate all or some of their business activity to the area.
As well as providing information about each district of Devon and what they have to offer, businesses considering a move can register their interest in a specific location or sector, or they can make a general enquiry.
To find out more, please visit the Devon Delivers website: www.devondelivers.co.uk
