Did you know about these 12 successful business partnerships in the South East?

The most successful business partnerships have spawned some of the world’s greatest innovations. Take Larry Page and Sergey Brin for example; the two met at Stanford University in 1995 and came from completely different backgrounds. The end product of this partnership was the creation of... Google, only three years later. 

Businesses throughout the UK have followed suit with this trend and have formed partnerships in a number of different sectors ranging from retail to zoos. 

Scour through our list of 12 successful business partnerships in the South East that you may or may not know about...

1. Social Chain

The social media marketing agency’s gaming brand GameByte recently signed a temporary partnership with Revolution Esports. Through this 3-year partnership, both businesses will be able to provide players with a platform to further their online presence through digital channels; GameByte has all the resources Revolution Esports needs to build long-term commercial relationships. On their website, Social Chain’s head of gaming, Rich White, stated that GameByte is now an integral component of the partnership since their high-end equipment will be used to weed out esports talent in the UK. Overall, this partnership is expected to generate at least $1194.8 (£887.7) million in 2021. 

2. Not on the high street.com

One of the UK’s favourite online marketplaces, Not On The High Street is based on a matchmaking business model. This means they link an assortment of independent and small businesses with consumers looking for specific products. Even today they are still acquiring new business partners; so far they have 5,000 partnerships and counting. Their only limitation is that they only partner with businesses with a UK or Irish business address. When they first started in 2006 they were generating £134,000, in 2020 they made £145.9m in Total Transaction Value. 

3. Pret A Manger

At the beginning of the pandemic, Pret A Manger’s sales fell significantly low. In September 2020, sales picked up once again and the international franchise formed new business partnerships with Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Amazon. and other retailers in the UK in order to sell products that consumers could enjoy at home. One of their pre-existing partnerships with MFG and Moto will allow Pret A Manger to build shops in transport hubs and motorway service stations, aiding in their expansion. 

4. RHB Partnership LLB

Based in Hampshire, the mechanical and electrical engineering consulting business has four partners: Harvey Goddard, Andrew Harrington, Dean Hunt, and Stuart Lawrence. They are responsible for overseeing the business’ electrical and mechanical side of the practice, as well as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Computer Aided Design (CAD). Together, the RHB partners have won prestigious architectural and energy awards and they have been featured in reviews written by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). 

5. Charter Tax & East Kent Hospitals Twinkling Stars

The Kent-based accounting and tax service partnered with the Twinkling Stars Campaign at East Kent Hospital as part of a fundraising charity event in 2020. The charity helped families who had lost a baby benefit from financial support issued to them by Charter Tax- they themselves had two members of staff who were aided by the hospital, hence why it was chosen for the partnership. 

6. CV library & Centrepoint

CV Library chose Centrepoint, one of the UK’s leading homeless charities, as its charity partner for the year 2019. This partnership aimed to give thousands of pounds to the Centrepoint cause, helping homeless youths with their situation through a various range of fundraising activities. The managing director of CV Library said in regards to the partnership: Di Gornall, the director of fundraising, explained that they benefited from the partnership both financially and that they liaise to come up with strategies on how to support vulnerable young people in education and training. 

7. Sussex Partnership with NHS

This NHS Foundation Trust helps arrange mental health and specialist learning disability services to residents of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex. In their latest news, they state that: ‘new resources have been created to support parents, professionals and young people in Sussex with their mental health and wellbeing’. 

8. Coast to Capital and Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership

These two businesses work closely in partnership to help with the local economic situation in five economic sub areas around the South East including Brighton and Hove. The Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership (BHEP) is made up of 50 people who represent different sectors of the city’s economy; this list includes legal services, creative industries, retail, media tourism, architecture and several others. 

9. BCP Council and Cycling UK

In order to successfully deliver the Transforming Cities Fund, BCP and Dorset Council have been working in partnership with several local and national organisations; one of which is Cycling UK. The council received £247,000 in funds to get more people cycling and make their daily commute greener. This partnership has proven successful as it supports the economy by providing safer travel options and tackles congestion in the area. 

10. South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP)

This is a partnership that includes businesses, the government, education and other bodies. The South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) covers the following areas: East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend, and Thurrock. SELEP was originally established to help devise more sustainable ways to grow the private sector in the South East, as well as create new jobs and opportunities along the way.  

11. Oxfordshire Greentech Partnership 

The Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils partnered with Oxfordshire Greentech in August this year to help local businesses in their areas to go carbon neutral. With Oxfordshire Greentech’s extensive list of sustainable businesses, knowledge and £3.2m funds, the two businesses hope the outcome of their partnership will lead to the creation of more environmentally friendly business models. 

12. Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve and JCB Group

In 2018, a partnership deal was struck between a local South East based motor group and Kent’s famous Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve. The conservation charity’s workforce was in desperate need of a new fleet of cars for their reserve, and the JCB delivered on this; the staff disposed of their beat-up old motors and received a fleet of 30 brand-new vehicles consisting of Volkswagen Amaroks and Caddys. On the Port Lympne webpage, the Aspinall Foundation’s commercial director, Steve Green, said that this turned out to be the ideal partnership and that the two businesses are aligned on many fronts.