The final preparations are being put in place for this year’s Cornwall Business Week (May 9-13).

The week kicks off on Monday (May 9) with the official launch of the new Growth Hub service in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, at the St Austell Business Park Conference Centre.

The Growth Hub aims to be the ‘go to place’ for information and guidance for businesses, offering a route through to the right local and national business support. It is being part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

You can hear all about what the Growth Hub has to offer, meet the team and network with other businesses.

Finance in Cornwall has been a mainstay of Cornwall Business Week for the past nine years, and will once again be hosted by PKF Francis Clark at the Lighthouse Cinema in Newquay, on Tuesday May 10.

The event looks to update business owners and managers on all the finance opportunities available, including the latest European funding.

This year it will feature presentations from the big banks, as well as the ‘alternative’ finance providers.

The event is free to attend, but must be booked in advance.

Following on from Finance in Cornwall at the same venue in the afternoon will be Profit from Sustainability – a special event looking at why it is time to make sustainability a priority in your business.

The seminar, which will start with a welcome address form Cornwall Chamber of Commerce CEO, Kim Conchie, will also feature the launch of this year’s Cornwall Sustainability Awards.

Alternatively, same time, same venue, will be FSB Helping Your Business, focusing on businesses still seeking the right sort of support.

The following day (May 11), the spotlight shifts from Newquay to the Eden Project, for the eighth Cornwall Business Fair, which will feature a special presentation from Sir Tim Smit.

Other highlights will include a B2B trade show with more than 100 stands and a special ‘pasty and a pint’ networking event featuring entertainment from Kernow King.

Cornwall Business Week will also be celebrated out of county, with the third annual gathering of the Cornwall Club, hosted by Cornwall Community Foundation at Two Temple Place in London on the evening of the 11th.

On Thursday evening (May 12) up at St Mellion International, the best in Cornish business will be celebrated at the Cornwall Business Awards, which this year will feature celebrity speaker Levi Roots.

For a full list of finalists, click here.

The Cornwall Business Week events will be rounded off on Friday May 13, with a gathering at the Hall For Cornwall for the HFC Networks Club.

For a full list of the Cornwall Business Week events please visit our networking calendar.