Workshops & Training
We are offering free training workshops as part of the Innovation 4 Growth programme to support a range of challenges that SMEs face.
"The event was really useful and provided information that could be relied on as accurate in an interactive forum where it felt safe to ask basic questions. It was also a great opportunity to meet other local businesses, one of which I have already spoken with about future collaboration"
Darren Doyle, Mimir Human Factors
Funding Business Evolution Workshop
2nd & 3rd March 2023, 09:00 – 16:00
The Workshed, Swindon
Do you often wonder how you should fund your next innovation, growth or evolution in your business?
We can help you explore the options that are available to establish which ones are right for you.
Would you like to know how to create a compelling application that will appeal to a funder?
We will help you unpick what funders want to know in various investment contexts – from a grant to a loan, debt funding or crowd funding. We will also guide you through what a good funding pitch looks like including how to create a funding slide deck if asked.
With experienced guest speakers we will be spending two days exploring how to create a culture of innovation in your business and making you funding savvy and confident in which funding route works for your business, how to tell your funding story and with a business model to support your plan.
A practical two days, with plenty of space to consider the sessions in relation to your own idea, business or growth strategy. Spaces are limited - don't miss out and book your space now.
"I had a really positive experience at the workshop. I found it beneficial meeting other businesses and networking. I picked out information and tips that were tailored to my business"
Sophie Chatfield, Nannies who Nurture
The workshop will cover sessions including:
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The funding landscape - What are the ways to fund your project, and which one is right for your business? A practical exploration of the many ways to fund an innovation/change or growth project – from bootstrapping to debt financing, angel investors to crowdfunding.
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What do funders need to know to support your project? - You need more than just a great idea – what does a funder need to see in your application for you to be successful? And why does a great funding application need more than data?
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R&D tax credits and how they help companies fund innovation – Get an overview of the UK Grant Funding Landscape for innovative R&D projects and learn how to decipher your eligibility and discuss the benefits and intricacies of claiming R&D Tax Credits for your R&D activities.
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Bank funding – What are the options, and what does a bank want to see as a lender?
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How to plan for growth – People, processes, time and money. How do you create time to evolve your business while still keeping current clients and projects healthy? When do you expand the team and how early should you start to advertise the evolution?
Expert speakers and facilitators will include:
Jim Hughes – Founder, Untamed
For five years Jim has provided transformative experiences to high performers and entrepreneurs around the world through his unique brand of coaching, speaking and events.
He has helped change the lives of: eight figure business owners, world record holders, senior military leaders, top performing professionals and many more
Leveraging his extensive life experience, that encompasses everything from running a multimillion dollar engineering business in Australia and canoeing the Yukon River, to skiing the world’s longest giant slalom race wearing only a g-string and pretending to be an electrical engineer for eight months, he approaches his work how he approaches life…with energy, commitment and fun.
Jim experienced the cost of living out of alignment with his true self. He felt the impact on his health, relationships, happiness and performance and, having invested over £100,000 in his own development, he has transformed his own life and is on a mission to help others do the same.
The life-long connections he has created with those he serves are undoubtedly the greatest gift his work provides.
Kat Wellum-Kent – Founder/CEO, Fractional Finance
Kat Wellum-Kent supports start-up and scale-up businesses, helping them with their financial strategy, underpinned by high-quality data to support the decision making process. Kat has spent 20+ years in the accountancy profession supporting businesses of all sizes scale, raise investment through VC and Private Equity, list on the Stock Exchange, or exit.
She is passionate about getting the systems and processes working well so that they do the heavy lifting, freeing up time to focus on the important strategic decisions which need to be made to enable businesses to deliver on their vision.
Kate Westbrook – Partner – Head of Commercial, THRINGS Solicitors
Kate works with businesses of all sizes and stages of growth to minimise legal risk which maximises value and enables them to succeed. As head of commercial at Thrings, she has supported many businesses from start-up, to scale-up and then exit. Her job is to help business owners assess the legal risks and provide the information they need to make sound judgements whether it relates to contracts, intellectual property, data protection compliance, debt recovery and more.
Martin Barnes – Startup Pitch Coach / Crocodile Wrestler / Set your ideas free with a sketch
Martin has twenty years of professional experience in the UK and China. Startup coach, graphic designer, advertising, film and events.
Martin wants your pitch to be like planting a flag on the moon of your audience's attention so that after hearing your pitch, they will remember you, and you will get the results you need. Martin has done this for 100s of startup founders and leaders in China and the UK and hosted over 130 #PitchClub events.
During his ten years working in advertising as a creative director, he provided pitches for CEOs at tech companies and CMOs of the big German automotive brands. He believes it's all about catching and holding your audience's attention. Without attention, a pitch is hot air.
Check out his book Pitching AZ. There isn't a faster book to read that will share so much pitching advice. You have 8 seconds to connect.
Lucy Paine, Business Development Manager, UWE Bristol
Lucy has run her own business, worked for pre-IPO start-ups, multibillion dollar tech firms and a few in-between with a focus on sales and business communication. She spent five years at the business incubator Sussex Innovation Centre supporting hundreds of companies on their growth journeys. She currently not only manages the SWI4G project for UWE but also the techSPARK Bath and Swindon & Wiltshire communities, bringing people together for the greater good of the regions.
Mark Corderoy, Entrepreneur in residence, Launch Space and Bristol Robotics Laboratory Hardware Incubator
With a background in engineering and technology in a variety of commercial settings, Mark is an experienced Technologist and Award-winning Mentor. He has been at UWE Bristol for last four years as Incubation Manager for the Bristol Robotics Laboratory the leading and largest academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research in the UK as well as Entrepreneur-in-residence for Launch Space, providing business support and mentoring to start-up businesses in UWE Bristol’s University Enterprise Zone.
Jack Stanbury – Business Innovation & Skills Manager, UWE Bristol
Jack is a business development manager working in the research, innovation & skills sector. He has experience working within the HE Sector and with industry in the region.
Jack will be joining us on day two to talk about opportunities to engage with UWE Bristol through graduate recruitment, internships, and other support.