The Northern Powerhouse is a fantastic opportunity for the growth of businesses throughout the north.

The government's appointment of a new Northern Powerhouse minister, Andrew Percy, is a step towards making this idea a reality. But to ensure its long-term success, there needs to be supportive interaction between big businesses and innovative start-ups. This collaboration will form the final part of an equation that will enable businesses to evolve from an idea into a global success.

The North West is the perfect place for companies to grow. The home of the industrial revolution and the first computer boasts a student population of over 100,000, great transport infrastructure with fast links to other cities including the capital, and a supportive ecosystem which facilitates the growth of new businesses. This is particularly true for the technology sector, as our TMT hotspots research has revealed year-on-year growth in a number of clusters in the region. The North West is also a place were great ideas thrive. This is evident from the emergence of tech start-ups such as influencer marketing agency Social Chain, digital agency Degree 53, and online event marketing platform Fatsoma.

At Deloitte, we are practicing what we preach by collaborating with the global training initiative, Start-up Leadership Program (SLP), which offers support to aspiring CEOs. It is a highly selective, not-for-profit organisation that uses its global network to aid entrepreneurs, founders and innovators. Operating in 28 cities around the world, it has helped more than 1,300 start-ups across many sectors, from food and BioTech to hardware.

Our London office has supported SLP over the last three years, and we will now be providing venue space for training and events at our Manchester branch. SLP participants will be trained over a six-month period with more than 20 sessions, receiving personalised support from mentors to help with their growth.

We are committed to supporting the technology industry and the growth of the next generation of big businesses. Start-ups benefit massively from a close support network with other companies and we hope that our collaboration with SLP will help to boost growth in the region and strengthen the creation of the Northern Powerhouse.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.