Boost for Digital Creative sector as County Council launches new investment 

"The digital sector is a key employer within the county, particularly among young people, and already makes a strong contribution to our economy...this fund demonstrates that we are continuing to support that sector.” 

Interest has already been strong in a new fund launched by Warwickshire County Council to support the growth of ambitious businesses looking for external finance in the Digital Creative sector. 

The Warwickshire Digital Creative Co-Investment Fund is a new County Council initiative that will deliver over £200,000 in grants to support businesses across the county with recovery and growth, 

The grants will assist in product development or key activities that lead to the businesses obtaining further private sector investment to accelerate their growth journey. It is part of the County Council’s overarching Covid-19 recovery and investment programmes. 

The scheme, for which applications will be open until February 14, offers match funded grants between £10,000 to £30,000. The fund is open to small, and micro-sized businesses within the Digital Creative sector who have been in business for a minimum of two years. It has already attractive a lot of interest from high-quality small businesses and further applications are still being welcomed. 

The programme is aimed at businesses that are already looking to raise finance to grow their business but are facing challenges in securing private sector investment or accelerate activities to put them in a position to raise additional finance. Businesses will be required to evidence their growth plans and demonstrate how the funding will bring them closer to achieving their ambitions. 

The council’s Business Growth Team is on hand to facilitate initial discussions and other preliminary checks to ensure eligibility for the fund before businesses will be invited to full application. 

Cllr Martin Watson, Portfolio Holder for Economy said: “Digital Creative business are often at a disadvantage to other business sectors due to their businesses and products being people centred. Whilst manufacturing businesses can benefit from capital grants to buy machinery to make products or make efficiencies, the Digital Creative sector is powered by digital input which more often than not is people. 

“So creating products, or developing prototypes, is solely reliant on capacity of the organisation and can often take longer to get products to market, which in turn can stifle innovation. 

“This issue has only been accentuated by Covid-19 due to the huge pressure on digital services and products to help pivot and support the transition to hybrid working and ensure the economy could continue to operate. This meant that the capacity for development of new products was static for two years and is only now beginning to be focused on. We hope this new fund provides the opportunity to accelerate business growth and get it back on track. 

”The digital sector is a key employer within the county, particularly among young people, and already makes a strong contribution to our economy. It also increases our visibility, nationally and internationally, as a forward-thinking and innovative county, which can only help massively as we seek to attract inward investment. The council has long recognised its contribution. This fund demonstrates that we are continuing to support the sector.” 

To register interest and book an initial discussion with the County Council’s business advisors, please email invest@warwickshire.gov.uk. 

* To find out what other support is available to your business, please call CWLEP Growth Hub on 0300 060 3747