The Escalator Pilot Programme is a dedicated support opportunity for scaleup businesses. The programme will consist of the following:
Membership for the cohorts will be by application form and panel approval
• peer-to-peer learning through monthly meetings
• delivered over 6 months with a focused session each month on a barrier to growth with a solution driven outcome
• 5 cohorts of 8 businesses
• expert facilitation by MD Hub
• 50% match funded by Coast to Capital LEP (cost to business is £100 per month)
This model of peer-to-peer roundtables and a professionally delivered programme is widely recommended by the ScaleUp Institute and scaleup business community.
Why should businesses join now?
A good reason for joining this programme now is to gain funded support, help with recognition of barriers to growth, have access to solution providers and be given a provision of solutions, experience controlled accelerated growth, and benefit from involvement in the wider business community. Businesses develop and grow by learning from other business leaders experiencing the same issues; there are currently a lot of economic uncertainties that concern UK businesses. This programme seeks to address a current gap in service provision and positively impact a group of non-engaged and economically significant businesses.
Who Are We Looking For?
The businesses who will want to attend this programme are those that have been running for a number of years and now want to accelerate their business growth, need support with their ambition to grow and want to positively impact the increase in the culture for business support. In addition, businesses that now want the opportunity to create a network of growth businesses and have access to a unique, likeminded business community in a confidential, enclosed environment. This is an intensive support programme that is not time demanding; however, there is a vigorous process by which scaleups are selected. Business who complete the cohort programme will have access to dedicated resources and specialist account management; this will become an important stream of referrals for future businesses for the cohort.
Ideally we are looking for enterprises with average annual growth in employees or turnover greater than 20 per cent per annum over a three year period, and with more than 10 employees at the beginning of the period.
However we know that there are scaleups out there that that do not quite fit that scaleup definition and so we will also consider those that have the greatest growth potential and have the leadership with the desire to achieve scaleup growth in the short term. These owners exhibit a “can do” attitude with a real appetite to learn. They will be enthusiastic for this type of support and ready to share success stories.
We will be looking for the following
• Businesses with sales and growth potential
• Business Leaders with the ambition to grow
• Owners who demonstrate leadership skills
• Businesses with scalability
• Leaders who want to own future growth
To get involved, contact: Lou Williams at lou.williams@c2cbusiness.org.uk.