Creative Enterprise: Investment Readiness Programme is designed to equip screen companies with the necessary tools and knowledge for securing various forms of investment, ranging from equity to debt and grants. Our comprehensive program aims to foster a deeper understanding of each investment type, empowering companies to shape a robust investment strategy and optimise their funding requests.
We will empower you and your business to feel confident about the investment journey, and to better communicate the opportunity to the investment community. We will also engage with investors already investing in the sector and with those interested in new investment opportunities; we will educate them about the investment opportunities within the creative sectors and will facilitate introductions.
*** Applications open on Wednesday 22nd January at 12pm ***
Deadline for applications is Friday 28th February 5pm
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Not sure if this programme is right for you? Book a Discovery call with a member of our team.
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What is Investment Readiness?
Our programme is about language and landscape; what is SEIS? what is a term sheet? what is a good leaver versus a bad leaver? We’ll help to demystify the language around investment and also the landscape – giving you a better understanding of the whole process and how it might work for you and your company.
We provide companies with a clearer understanding of each type of investment and help them shape their investment strategy and get their ’ask’ right.
We help creative businesses and investors better understand the other – so that both sides are better informed about what the other is looking for from an investment opportunity
How do we do it?
We’ll run a series of virtual and in person workshops covering topics around investment (Financial forecasting, legal process and due diligence, exit strategies etc..)
Crucially, you’ll be matched to a mentor who will work with you intensively over the programme to shape your investment strategy, your deck and your pitch.
We’ll introduce you to investors and we’ll run virtual and in person pitch events.
We’ll work closely with the Creative UK Investment Team and also the UK Business Angels Association.
What do you get out of the programme?
The usual outputs include:
- Diagnostic report with plan for bespoke support
- Investment strategy
- Investment deck and pitch
At the end of the programme you should:
- understand what debt and equity investment are and what the differences are – and most importantly what might be right for your business.
- be confident about pitching your business to investors; know what it is your pitching and who you are pitching to
- be really clear about what you’re asking for and why. You will have a future plan or even an exit plan and be able to communicate that in a coherent story that tells investors what the business is, and where it is going
- understand your business better internally. The mentoring will really dig into each aspect of your business and through this process you will have more clarity about how to run your business.
- have received mentoring and 1:1 session over the course of 6 months, totally tailored to the needs of you and your business.
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Case Studies
AiAi Studios – Aiwan Obinyan & Tamanda Walker
“I thought the course was really brilliant, it was really clarifying and it enabled me to come up for air. When you’re running a business, you’re just in it every day and can’t see the wood from the trees – always trying to make it to the next month, the next invoice. For the first time in a while, I was able to look at my business most from a bird’s eye view. To see everything; what is working, what needs to be cut, what needs to be adjusted, what can be highlighted, how to bring the team in a bit more. It’s been really focussing and we’ve come out of this with a stronger idea of what we’re offering, but who we are as a business and what we’re offering to the industry as well.” Aiwan Obinyan, Founder.
Programme Impact:
- Deepened knowledge of the investment process and journey.
- Refined business proposition with a clear emphasis on growth.
- Gained direct access to prospective investors and strategic partners
Copper Candle – James Simpson
“I joined this programme because I felt that I needed to wait for the stars to align before I tried raising money. Of course, I didn’t but I needed someone to push me forward with structure and confidence. The IR programme did this for me and within 6 weeks of the programme finishing I’m dropping elevator pitches to investors I met at conferences, following up with Angels who are showing interest in us and even pitched in the largest tech conferences pitch competition in the world at Websummit in Lisbon. The thought that this would have all been happening for me 6 months earlier seemed impossible but it was all due to the programme and the mentorship it provided.”
Programme impact:
- Increased confidence in pitching and negotiations
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Client leads from major broadcasters and media companies
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Attracted greater interest from VCs and Angel Investors
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Secured new business opportunities, including strong engagement from over 20 potential artist clients
Both Copper Candle and AiAi Studios are part of our most recent Investment Readiness Cohort – to find out more about them & the rest of the cohort visit our Investment Readiness 2024 page.
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Fees & Eligibility
The fee for participation in the programme is £300 + VAT per company.
Creative Enterprise is a BFI Lottery funded programme – overall, the support including group learning sessions, coaching and personalised mentoring you receive during the Investment Readiness programme is valued at over £5,000 per person. There is also a bursary (contribution towards travel and accommodation) available for in-person sessions if needed.
If you feel like this fee is a significant barrier to your participation in the programme, please speak to Creative Enterprise team to discuss options.
Eligibility
The Investment Readiness programme is only available to screen businesses based in England working in or with narrative storytelling.
Note: There is a possibility to self-fund a place for companies outside of England – please get in touch with us to discuss creativeenterprise@wearecreative.uk
Timeline
Open applications: Wednesday 22nd January 2025 12pm
Close applications: Friday 28th February 5pm
Diagnostics: March 2025
Workshop Dates:
Final Dates for Workshops will be confirmed closer to the day
Kick-off face to face meeting: April 2025
The programme will run from April to approximately end of October 2025.
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Any questions? Email our Creative Enterprise team.
*** Applications open on Wednesday 22nd January at 12pm ***
Deadline for applications is Friday 28th February 5pm
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🚨 Note on Application Process: We’re currently working with a new application system so please note there have been some changes when it comes to saving your application to return to later.
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Should you have any access or communication requirements relating to our applications and guidance, then please contact the team at creativeenterprise@creativeengland.co.uk or 0333 023 5240. Subsistence contributions are available to assist with the costs of travel and accessibility of the programme. Funds are limited and at the discretion of Creative England.
If you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements prior to applying, please get in touch with Creative Enterprise Team at creativeenterprise@creativeengland.co.uk.
