The Suffolk Business Board was established in May 2024 following the integration of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership functions into Suffolk County Council. It comprises representatives from business, education, the voluntary sector and local government.
Business Board members:
Chair: Mark Pendlington
Deputy Chair: Cllr Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council
Doug Field, East of England Co-Op
Oliver Paul, Suffolk Food Hall
Lisa Perkins, Tech East
Peter Brady, Orbital Global
Kelly Boosey, Oxford Innovation
Leanne Gittins, LME Recruitment
John Dugmore, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce
Tom Ball, Ipswich Town Football Club
Hannah Bloom, Suffolk Community Foundation
Paul Ager, Associated British Ports
Marek Hornak, University of Suffolk
Nikos Savvas, Eastern Education Group
Cllr Richard Smith MVO, Suffolk County Council
Cllr Andy Mellen, Mid Suffolk District Council
Cllr Neil MacDonald, Ipswich Borough Council
Welcome to the March edition of the Suffolk Economy Brief
Suffolk has entered 2026 with a strong platform for growth. At a national level, businesses and investors are looking for places that combine strong infrastructure, skills, innovation and quality of life – and our county is well placed to offer all four.
Our focus this year is simple: turning those strengths into energy and momentum, supporting key sectors, unlocking growth, and ensuring Suffolk continues to thrive amid change.
The Suffolk Business Board will keep championing local business and driving collaboration across the county. This newsletter brings together the latest updates and opportunities as we move into an important year.
Mark Pendlington, Business Board Chair
Suffolk Business Board member Oliver Paul shares his takeaways from the recent UKREiiF leaders’ event, which focused on ‘The Devolution Priority Programme – What lies ahead?’
UKREiiF, now firmly established as one of the UK’s leading forums for real estate, development, and policy debate, brought national leaders together to confront a pressing question: how can local areas maintain economic momentum in the face of delayed Mayoral elections?
Despite the uncertainty, representatives from Suffolk and Norfolk struck a consistent optimistic tone. Business Board members and prospective Mayoral candidates from across the country, along with real estate leaders, shifted the conversation away from frustration and towards opportunity — calling on regions to take ownership of their economic futures.
Business leaders and experts from across Suffolk are coming together to champion the county’s strengths, helping to showcase why Suffolk is a great place to live, work, and invest.
Suffolk Business Ambassadors are a network of local experts who have united to share what makes Suffolk such a dynamic and attractive county. The programme is continuing into 2026, refreshed with new initiatives and opportunities for ambassadors to share their insights, experiences, and perspectives.
“We have been involved with the Suffolk Business Ambassadors since it was created and continue to enjoy and learn from the opportunities created through the visits and the associated networking. To be able to see deep inside such a range of successful Suffolk businesses is a privilege and long may it continue.”
Alan Ridealgh, Director, Humber Doucy Brewing Company
From a single 4kW CO₂ laser in 2002 to producing over a million components every month, Wrightform has been at the heart of Suffolk’s manufacturing sector for more than two decades.
In 2025 they took a major step forward, installing a new fibre laser – faster, more precise, energy-efficient, and capable of tackling even more complex work. This investment was part-funded through the Suffolk Economy Grant, which helps micro, small, and medium-sized businesses adopt digital technologies, improve productivity, and transition to cleaner, more efficient equipment.
The process was made even more effective thanks to the North Star programme, which provides intensive support for high-growth businesses, including guidance through grant applications. General Manager John Ensinger explains:
“The benefit of the Suffolk Economy Grant wasn’t just the money, it was the one-to-one support from the North Star team and the process of going through the application. Answering the questions really channels your focus and creates something very potent. From that success, we’ve been able to acquire a second new machine unrelated to the original grant application.”
Read the full story and find our more about grant opportunities on our website:
Wrightform: Strengthening Suffolk manufacturing – Suffolk Economy
North Star High Growth Programme: support for growing businesses
Wrightform’s recent growth story was supported by Suffolk Economy’s North Star High Growth team: business advisors who specialise in helping businesses on a high-growth trajectory. Get tailored support to grow your business: from expert advice and funding help, to personalised diagnostics and in-depth review of your business. Find out more.
Suffolk Business Board is backing the Ipswich City of Culture bid — an exciting opportunity for the town to take the national spotlight as a thriving creative hub.
Ipswich already has the proud heritage and the big ambition. What it needs now is recognition and investment to unlock further its cultural potential and create new and exciting opportunities for the future.
Mark Pendlington, Chair of the Suffolk Business Board, said: “Ipswich is bursting with creativity and talent. This bid is a big opportunity to celebrate what makes the town unique, attract new investment, and create lasting opportunities for local people, businesses and visitors. We’re very proud to support the bid and urge others to do the same.”
The Expression of Interest, led by Dance East, was submitted on 8 February – we look forward to sharing further updates.
The Connected Innovation and Norfolk and Suffolk Unlimited team have returned from an insightful week at TECHARENA in Sweden, where collaboration, ecosystem building, and cross‑sector innovation took centre stage. The event brought together leaders from across Europe to explore emerging technologies, strengthen partnerships, and uncover new opportunities across regions.
Exploring Sweden’s Gaming & Creative Technology Landscape
One of the standout moments of the week was a visit to Paradox Interactive, who generously opened up their Stockholm studios. Offering deep insights into the structure, strengths, and future trajectory of Sweden’s globally recognised games industry. This session highlighted the opportunities for stronger collaboration between the UK and Nordic creative tech ecosystems which build on the ambitions in the Games in the East report launched last year – Games Growth Plan for the East.
Dual‑Use Technologies and Defence Innovation
A major theme across TECHARENA was the rising importance of dual‑use technologies and innovations that serve both commercial markets and defence applications, highlighting how critical cross‑sector collaboration has become. With strong capabilities in advanced manufacturing, AI, space technologies, materials science and more, our own regional ecosystem is well placed to contribute to and benefit from this growing strategic priority.
Strengthening European Partner Ecosystems
From Sweden to Finland, Latvia, and Germany, the week provided a valuable opportunity to reconnect with long‑term partners and engage with new contacts across Europe. These conversations helped identify new pathways for collaboration, talent exchange, innovation support, and market access ensuring we remain plugged into leading networks across the continent.
And of course, no trip would be complete without mentioning one of the more unexpected highlights: catching a talk from former Swedish former professional footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović himself an inspirational and entertaining close to an already packed week.
Spotlight opportunity: Robotics Adoption Programme skills development
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2.5 million for projects to develop vocational robotics skills courses. This funding is from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and aims to create and deliver course content and materials that will support skills, talent and training in robotics. This will address skills gaps for professionals able to specify, procure, integrate, operate and maintain robotics.
Closing date: 25 March 2026, 11:00am
Head to the Suffolk Economy website for our monthly round-up of current opportunities for Suffolk-based businesses, including funding, support and more. This month’s opportunities include a grant for adoption of new ideas or solutions in the agricultural sector, funding to enable career and growth opportunities in the tech sector and funding for digital innovation. If you have an opportunity to share, please contact: suffolk.economy@suffolk.gov.uk
Good work is good for health — and healthier teams mean better business. A new online hub brings together practical tools to help employers create supportive, productive workplaces.
The hub, created by NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB, Suffolk County Council and the Department of Work and Pensions, includes free resources to help you navigate your legal responsibilities, along with guidance on simple workplace adjustments, staff wellbeing, and information about the Good Health @ Work programme.
We visited OrbisEnergy in Lowestoft to explore why it’s become such an anchor for clean energy companies in the East of England.
Business Development Manager Ian Pease explains how the centre brings companies together, helps them build new partnerships, and opens doors to wider support – including the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and Connected Innovation.
We also hear from Kayleigh at VGC Group and Danielle at Tri-Tech Contracting, who share why they’ve chosen to locate their businesses at OrbisEnergy and what they’d say to others considering Suffolk.
9-20 March, various venues
A two-week festival designed to highlight the achievements of local businesses, fostering connections, and providing opportunities for growth and collaboration. Find out more.
10 March, 8.30am-12.30pm, The Hold, Ipswich
Bringing together the region’s top FE and HE educators and business leaders, the Classroom to Catalyst conference features leading speakers and panellists from the business and education worlds to stimulate a workshop discussion on the innovation skills set. Book here.
17 March, 8.40am – 4pm, Saxon Air, Norwich
Join NAAME’s Annual Conference as we explore Smart Energy for Industry and how manufacturing and engineering organisations can take control of energy costs while strengthening resilience and sustainability. Book here.
18 March, 9am, Peterborough
Explore the latest agri‑tech and food‑tech innovations at this Eastern England showcase, where high‑growth businesses, industry partners, and investors come together to share new ideas and technologies shaping the future of the UK Agri‑Food sector. Sign up here.
WHERE BIG
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