Meet the Borough
In this specially curated service, you can meet face to face with representatives from a Local Authority, public body and/or their primary suppliers actively looking to pilot or buy sustainable solutions. This service is perfect for innovators with circular products and services looking to engage with or work with local government. By showcasing your circular economy product or service against a specially curated ‘challenge’, and helping local government and/or their primary suppliers who you meet their needs, you can encourage the public sector to embrace circularity, and ultimately amplify your impact. Get help perfecting your pitch in the run up to the big day.
Connecting the public and private sectors
Boroughs have increasingly been refining a responsible approach to procurement and considering climate implications in all decision-making. This includes incorporating more low-carbon, circular SMEs into their supply chains.
To inspire and support these ambitions, we bring together representatives from local authority departments and their suppliers, with innovative, circular SMEs to showcase how their solution can support public sector aims.
London’s boroughs are recognising that circular economy businesses can play a role in creating social value for their residents. We work with their staff across all different directorates to understand their challenges and what they’re looking, and support the SMEs who could provide the solution to make the right first impression.
What to expect as a circular SME
We will publish local authority challenges and invite small businesses with relevant circular products and services to apply.
After meeting with our expert business advisors to delve into your strategy and interrogate your circularity credentials, you will have the opportunity to refine and pitch your solution at a Meet The Borough event.
Those selected circular SMEs will:
- Identify opportunities to more coherently link your offering to local authority strategy and objectives.
- Receive expert coaching on how you present your business to potential clients in a group workshop and a one-to-one coaching session.
- Put your newly polished pitch to the test and present your offer to Local Authority representatives.
How it works
Understand your USP
- Meet with one of our expert business advisors to delve into your strategy and interrogate your circularity credentials
- Test and receive honest feedback on your business case
- Attend the debrief to find out what the local authorities are looking for
Refine your pitch
- Work with an expert coach and learn how position your offer to the people you meet
- Practice in a friendly and supportive environment with fellow circular businesses
- Make the finishing touches in a one-to-one coaching session
Meet the Borough
- Pitch with confidence and authenticity to local authority representatives and impress them with your innovative circular solutions at the event
- Network with fellow entrepreneurs and potential clients from a variety of Local Authority departments(In order to qualify for the Meet the Borough event you must attend all parts of the programme described)
How to apply
If you’re a circular economy SME looking to access connections to potential customers, clients or partners such as London’s Boroughs, complete the form below to tell us about your business. The team will review it and signpost you to our services that best meet your needs including joining our Circular SME Community through which you can access various opportunities.
If we’re not able to support you right now, we’ll keep your details on file so that we can let you know when we have a new opportunity for you.
Click the button below to tell us about your business
Previous events
Meet The Cities with City of London and City of Westminster
We worked closely with the Cities of London and Westminster to explore their challenges and those of their tier 1 suppliers, within the Built Environment. Having identified what they were looking for, we brought together a group of innovative SMEs in the construction sector and facilitated a series of 121 introductions with an assortment of construction companies and borough representatives.
If you are a local authority looking to integrate circular economy SMEs into your delivery strategy and would like to hear more, get in touch business@relondon.gov.uk.
