Devon Create Growth Programme

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Devon Create Growth Programme

  • Does your business have creativity at its heart?  
  • Do you work in any of the following sub sectors?  design, fashion, architecture, film, broadcast, createch, gaming, immersive, publishing, music, theatre, art, heritage, craft, media 
  • Are you operating in Devon?
  •  Is your business a Ltd Company, CIC or Charity? 
  • As a founder, do you need help building your confidence to make decisions on investment, IP, business structures and growth plans?   

Grow Your Business Stage 1 & 2  

Grow Your Business is designed to help creative businesses like yours. The programme will support you to develop the skills to secure investment so that you can achieve your ambitions for your company to grow. It is tailored to the needs of different creative disciplines, their respective markets, governance and distribution models.   

Stage 1

Stage 1

This programme is designed to give creative businesses the knowledge and confidence to grow their commercial models and explore investment opportunities. 

Coaching and Diagnostic: Businesses will be offered a mentoring session at the beginning and midway through the programme with the aim of defining and refining their ambitions for investment. At the end of the programme businesses will undertake a diagnostic with a panel of investment mentors who will provide individual feedback and referrals for future activity.     

Ethical Equity Simulator: A six-month subscription to a unique piece of software that enables users to learn about the different types of investment from a practical point of view. The Simulator encourages founders to put themselves in an investors’ shoes and experience commercial investment from their perspective. This is an enjoyable way of learning and can provide invaluable insight in preparation for pitching, networking and negotiating within the investment community.   

Cohort Workshops: Businesses will take part in a series of in person and online workshops that are designed to unlock their commercial capacity and describe routes to investment and growth. Content covered will include:   

  • Creative Minds Bootcamp: Discovering and exploiting your Intellectual Property with Erica Wolfe Murray over 2 days of in person training.   
  • Investment 101: An overview of different types of investment and how they might impact your company structure with our Lead Investment Mentor   
  • Commercial Business Models and Legal Advice for Creative Sub Sectors   
  • Deep dive days on how to access networks and make sales e.g commercial touring or making your building work for you.   
  • Sustainability: Environmental and financial advice.  
Stage 2

Stage 2

Stage 2 is a 9 month investment readiness programme for businesses who are ambitious about commercial models, growth and investment.

  • Diagnostic meetings with investment mentors will precede your application and will support you to dig deeper into your business plans and finances to look at what scaling up might offer you and how investment can help. These are individual diagnostic meetings with one business / applicant at a time.   
  • Online and in person workshops, events, and talks that provide overarching business skills and tools, sector specific advice and resources.    
  • Peer to Peer Learning Sessions that will give you a regular place to share experiences, explore challenges as a wider team and consider your place in the wider creative industry ecology in Devon.   
  • One to One Mentorship that provides 27 hrs bespoke advice and coaching to clarify your vision, business model and ask. The sub sector specialist matched you as an investment mentor will support you to write business plans, proposals, investment pitches and applications ready for an investment process.   
  • Events to network, practice your pitch, meet investors and showcase your business.  
What is the eligibility? 

What is the eligibility?

For Stage 1, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing   

For Stage 2, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing  
  • Can you provide information on turnover and how investment will help you to scale your business?  

If you do not yet have a registered business and are a sole trader there is still time to get some advice about registering a business and taking that first step. Creative UK are working with partners to provide webinars and advice drop ins over the next few months so you can be eligible for the programme. Learn more on our events page.  

Stage 1

This programme is designed to give creative businesses the knowledge and confidence to grow their commercial models and explore investment opportunities. 

Coaching and Diagnostic: Businesses will be offered a mentoring session at the beginning and midway through the programme with the aim of defining and refining their ambitions for investment. At the end of the programme businesses will undertake a diagnostic with a panel of investment mentors who will provide individual feedback and referrals for future activity.     

Ethical Equity Simulator: A six-month subscription to a unique piece of software that enables users to learn about the different types of investment from a practical point of view. The Simulator encourages founders to put themselves in an investors’ shoes and experience commercial investment from their perspective. This is an enjoyable way of learning and can provide invaluable insight in preparation for pitching, networking and negotiating within the investment community.   

Cohort Workshops: Businesses will take part in a series of in person and online workshops that are designed to unlock their commercial capacity and describe routes to investment and growth. Content covered will include:   

  • Creative Minds Bootcamp: Discovering and exploiting your Intellectual Property with Erica Wolfe Murray over 2 days of in person training.   
  • Investment 101: An overview of different types of investment and how they might impact your company structure with our Lead Investment Mentor   
  • Commercial Business Models and Legal Advice for Creative Sub Sectors   
  • Deep dive days on how to access networks and make sales e.g commercial touring or making your building work for you.   
  • Sustainability: Environmental and financial advice.  

Stage 2

Stage 2 is a 9 month investment readiness programme for businesses who are ambitious about commercial models, growth and investment.

  • Diagnostic meetings with investment mentors will precede your application and will support you to dig deeper into your business plans and finances to look at what scaling up might offer you and how investment can help. These are individual diagnostic meetings with one business / applicant at a time.   
  • Online and in person workshops, events, and talks that provide overarching business skills and tools, sector specific advice and resources.    
  • Peer to Peer Learning Sessions that will give you a regular place to share experiences, explore challenges as a wider team and consider your place in the wider creative industry ecology in Devon.   
  • One to One Mentorship that provides 27 hrs bespoke advice and coaching to clarify your vision, business model and ask. The sub sector specialist matched you as an investment mentor will support you to write business plans, proposals, investment pitches and applications ready for an investment process.   
  • Events to network, practice your pitch, meet investors and showcase your business.  

What is the eligibility?

For Stage 1, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing   

For Stage 2, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing  
  • Can you provide information on turnover and how investment will help you to scale your business?  

If you do not yet have a registered business and are a sole trader there is still time to get some advice about registering a business and taking that first step. Creative UK are working with partners to provide webinars and advice drop ins over the next few months so you can be eligible for the programme. Learn more on our events page.  

Apply for Stage 1

Apply for Stage 1

What is the application process?   

The deadline for full applications is April 1st 2024. 

If you would like to apply for the Stage 1 Intervention there are two ways to do this   

  1. If you have completed an expression of interest or full application for the Create Growth Programme before, please email Suzie.West@wearecreative.uk to express your interest in this shorter stage 1 programme.   
  1. If you are reaching out to us for the first time, please complete an Expression of Interest and the programme manager will approve this if you are eligible to take part. There will be full application form to follow.  
Apply for Stage 2 

Apply for Stage 2

What is the application process? 

Stage 2: The deadline for full applications is March 4th 2024.   

If you would like to apply for the business support programme we ask you to either meet with our programme manager Suzie West or complete an initial application form called an Expression of Interest (EOI) You can apply by completing the EOI here.  

If you pass the criteria for the first stage, you will be asked to complete an application form.    

Businesses may be invited into a diagnostic process. This diagnostic process will allow for our investment and business mentors to look at the potential of your business and its future investability. The Creative UK Devon team will also use the diagnostic to understand how the business support programme needs to be shaped, which mentors we need to employ and how the broad range of selected applicants can support each other across sectors. If you are not successful, then the support team have a good understanding of how to support you next and where to sign post you to.  At the end of the 9 month programme your mentor and the Creative UK Devon team will help you to build a pitch and proposal for investment and will be introduced to investment partners or other finance options. The key strand to the investment is through Innovate UK’s Funding Competition.

Want to know more? 

Want to know more?

Find out more in our upcoming online explainer and Q&A webinars or join Suzie in person at one of our Cakey Tea events. Find out more on our events page.

Apply for Stage 1

What is the application process?   

The deadline for full applications is April 1st 2024. 

If you would like to apply for the Stage 1 Intervention there are two ways to do this   

  1. If you have completed an expression of interest or full application for the Create Growth Programme before, please email Suzie.West@wearecreative.uk to express your interest in this shorter stage 1 programme.   
  1. If you are reaching out to us for the first time, please complete an Expression of Interest and the programme manager will approve this if you are eligible to take part. There will be full application form to follow.  

Apply for Stage 2

What is the application process? 

Stage 2: The deadline for full applications is March 4th 2024.   

If you would like to apply for the business support programme we ask you to either meet with our programme manager Suzie West or complete an initial application form called an Expression of Interest (EOI) You can apply by completing the EOI here.  

If you pass the criteria for the first stage, you will be asked to complete an application form.    

Businesses may be invited into a diagnostic process. This diagnostic process will allow for our investment and business mentors to look at the potential of your business and its future investability. The Creative UK Devon team will also use the diagnostic to understand how the business support programme needs to be shaped, which mentors we need to employ and how the broad range of selected applicants can support each other across sectors. If you are not successful, then the support team have a good understanding of how to support you next and where to sign post you to.  At the end of the 9 month programme your mentor and the Creative UK Devon team will help you to build a pitch and proposal for investment and will be introduced to investment partners or other finance options. The key strand to the investment is through Innovate UK’s Funding Competition.

Want to know more?

Find out more in our upcoming online explainer and Q&A webinars or join Suzie in person at one of our Cakey Tea events. Find out more on our events page.

Who is delivering the programme? 

Who is delivering Devon Create Growth Programme?

The Create Growth Programme is funded by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and aims to support creative businesses in planning for growth and exploring and securing commercial investment opportunities. 

The programme will be delivered by Creative UK in partnership with West of England Combined Authority, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, University of Plymouth, Plymouth Culture and Real Ideas Organisation. 

FAQs

FAQs

Make sure to read our FAQs before submitting your EOI.  Read our FAQs here. 

Contact Us

Contact Us

  1. Email our Programme Manager Suzie.West@wearecreative.uk to start a conversation.
  2. Meet Suzie face-to-face to complete the EOI stage informally at an event.
  3. You also complete the form below to register your interest in Creative UK Devon and be added to our mailing list: 


Who is delivering Devon Create Growth Programme?

The Create Growth Programme is funded by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and aims to support creative businesses in planning for growth and exploring and securing commercial investment opportunities. 

The programme will be delivered by Creative UK in partnership with West of England Combined Authority, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, University of Plymouth, Plymouth Culture and Real Ideas Organisation. 

FAQs

Make sure to read our FAQs before submitting your EOI.  Read our FAQs here. 

Contact Us

  1. Email our Programme Manager Suzie.West@wearecreative.uk to start a conversation.
  2. Meet Suzie face-to-face to complete the EOI stage informally at an event.
  3. You also complete the form below to register your interest in Creative UK Devon and be added to our mailing list: