95% would recommend CW Business: Start Grow & Scale programme support
"The whole programme was very motivational on many levels."
A programme delivered to help SMEs start, grow and scale has received immensely positive feedback in its Summative Assessment Summary Report.
Of respondents to a survey of businesses which received support from the CW Business: Start Grow & Scale programme, 94% felt their goals had been achieved, 71.1% said the programme made the future of their business feel more secure, 72% reported growth in their business and 85% said they had launched new products or services.
The CW Business: Start Grow & Scale programme, which ran from January 2019 to June 2023, supported 775 businesses with at least 12 hours of bespoke support which was a mix of workshops and 1-2-1 sessions with a specialist business advisor. A total of 233 people have been employed in newly created jobs as a direct result of the support while 115 people were assisted to create a new business.
As a result of the support, the businesses have been assisted to raise over £11million of new funding. These investment opportunities have enabled the businesses to scale up, grow and develop their business for the future.
Of the businesses that took part in the survey, 95% said they would recommend the programme or had already recommended it to fellow business owners or potential entrepreneurs.
The programme, part-funded and managed by Warwickshire County Council and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, comprised three main projects: Warwickshire Start-Up Support Service (for businesses in their first 24 months of trading or residents looking to start a business); Business Ready (support for tech-based early-stage businesses); and Project Warwickshire (Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality). Additional support was provided to creative businesses pre-2021 and advice and support to other businesses looking to grow with focus on access to finance. Funding was also provided by the five district and borough councils, University of Warwick Science Park and Coventry & Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust,
Comments from businesses included:
The most important thing I got out of the programme was the passion and drive and realisation that I can succeed with my business plans. The whole programme was very motivational on many levels.
The staff were fantastic. They helped before the grant, during and after - showing their expertise and help throughout.
A lot of the results were intangible but made a big difference to how we felt about things…a friendly and helpful face who could reassure us and advise was invaluable.
The majority of feedback highlighted positive outcomes for businesses and a strong desire for further future support from Warwickshire County Council and partners, with a focus upon access to finance and reducing carbon.
Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy & Place, Cllr Martin Watson, said: “The CW Business: Start Grow & Scale programme was clearly an outstanding success and I would like to thank all the people at WCC and all our partners who managed and delivered it.
“It is very reassuring to read in the report that there is both great appreciation from businesses for the help they received from the programme and a clear appetite for more similar support in the future.”
Pictured above: Hayley Lineker and Gillian Dale who manage the programme for WCC (along with Annie Smith and Gaynor Valente) and Lead Commissioner (Economy & Skills) Matthew Epps