During this ‘challenging’ - darn difficult business climate, anything that helps connect small businesses and increase their profiles, connections, and opportunities. For technology based enterprises this new option is proving popular and postivie. The answer is connecting to a cluster.

Clusters are virtual networks offering an open exchange of knowledge, information and business opportunities. Lancaster University has set up some for Lancashire and South Cumbria businesses - www.lcictcluster.org.

You’ll find more and more clusters appearing in education, social, community development and business sectors.

If you can’t find one to join - why not create one.