Sussex businesses can join online platform to connect with other companies and overcome Covid-19 impact

A new online platform for businesses has been launched to help them connect and be stronger together in the face of the pandemic.
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Area in Action is a new business to business match making platform. Its founders said it is 'focused on helping our economic area bounce back as quickly as possible from Covid-19' by 'providing a place that local businesses can find and work with each other', whether it is businesses looking for suppliers, or vice versa.

During the pandemic, a high proportion of businesses in the Sussex area were substantially impacted and continue to be so, Area in Action said.

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Freedom Works and Rume2, which run co-working spaces in Sussex for small businesses to use, said they 'saw the immediate and future struggles of the local economy first hand' and decided to set up the platform to help.

Rosie Freshwater and Lucy Legg-Willis, co-founders of Rume2Rosie Freshwater and Lucy Legg-Willis, co-founders of Rume2
Rosie Freshwater and Lucy Legg-Willis, co-founders of Rume2

Rosie Freshwater, co-founder of Rume2 with Lucy Legg-Willis, said: “It became very apparent from a survey we ran across the Sussex region early in the lockdown that small business in the area had been dramatically affected, and we wanted to do something to help the previously vibrant business ecosystem bounce back as quickly as possible.”

Web development company Sensible Development joined the founding team to help bring this portal to fruition.

Area in Action also has the support of the Coast2Capital business partnership, West Sussex County Council, other co-working spaces and the Gatwick Diamond Initiative - a business-led strategy group.

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Bob Lanzer, West Sussex County Council cabinet member for the economy, said: "I welcome this collaboration between Freedom Works, Rume2 and Sensible Development to move efficiently to provide an on-line portal for small businesses to interact with and support each other.

"We see again how out of adversity comes creative thinking, teamwork and a technical solution that will serve West Sussex well in supporting its economic recovery."