The Enterprise Hub: Supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs from Black and minoritised backgrounds

Key information

• Partner: Trampoline NH CIC
• Amount: £1,072,000.00
• Duration: 3 years
• Programme: Financial foundations for adult health

Background

Health, wealth and racism are inextricably linked. Where we work in Lambeth and Southwark, our research has shown that people who are struggling financially report far lower levels of good health (43%) than those who describe themselves as financially comfortable (80%)ⁱ. Structural racism makes this worse for some; rates for long-term illnesses are higher for Black and minoritised communities, who are also more likely to be stuck on a lower income, forced to live in unsuitable housing, and trapped in unhealthy jobs.

Research we commissioned from ClearView demonstrates that there is a need to increase support for aspiring entrepreneurs from Black and minoritised backgrounds stuck on low incomes who experience or are at risk of ill health. This research informed our understanding of the current system of enterprise support for underrepresented groups and recommended the following:

• Investment in improved and equitable access to working spaces and funding;

• An increase in networking/engagement between organisations providing entrepreneurship support with local stakeholders, which could improve policies and opportunities for increasing healthy entrepreneurship;

• Associated business support and mentorship, which would be valuable for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially if it is targeted and intersectional and realistically reflects people’s lived experience and challenges.

We have partnered with Trampoline NH CIC over three years to establish The Enterprise Hub, located in Elephant and Castle. The Enterprise Hub offers earlier stage entrepreneurs an affordable co-working space accompanied by business incubation support and peer network opportunities. The London Borough of Southwark has also partnered with Trampoline NH CIC to bring the Hub to life by providing a capital grant.

Aims of the partnership

The Enterprise Hub opened in November 2025 and has been fitted to deliver modern, relevant, and cost-effective facilities. Facilities include:

• Hot-desking;
• A ‘Fabrication lab’, which is a workshop space offering manual and digital fabrication with access to various tools for entrepreneurs in the creative industries;
• A recording studio;
• Support and space to hold periodic makers markets where Hub users can sell and/or showcase their products or services;
• A commercial kitchen for food entrepreneurs (due to open in 2026).

The Hub offers affordable membership options. It will support underrepresented entrepreneurs from the local area establish viable businesses that in turn contribute to a thriving local economy.

Connection to our strategy

The Equitable Financial Futures portfolio in the financial foundations for adult health programme supports Lambeth and Southwark residents to build financial freedom through an approach grounded in Community Wealth Building principles.

We develop partnerships with organisations that improve access to and sustainment of entrepreneurship and microbusinesses. We believe that with the right funding, visibility, and policies, these entities can support marginalised communities to generate and maintain wealth for themselves; wealth that has historically been extracted.

Our investments centre race equity and are place-based, and include one or more of the following characteristics, as these have the potential to advance wider systems change:

• Offers equitable and affordable access to space;
• Is scalable or replicable;
• Is income generating;
• Seeks to build power through network development or other forms of collaboration;
• Engages in policy influencing and advocacy.