Devon Create Growth Programme

Back to top

Devon Create Growth Programme

  • Does your business have creativity at its heart?  
  • Do you work in any of the following sub sectors?  design, fashion, architecture, film, broadcast, createch, gaming, immersive, publishing, music, theatre, art, heritage, craft, media 
  • Are you operating in Devon?
  •  Is your business a Ltd Company, CIC or Charity? 
  • As a founder, do you need help building your confidence to make decisions on investment, IP, business structures and growth plans?   

Grow Your Business Stage 1 & 2  

Grow Your Business is designed to help creative businesses like yours. The programme will support you to develop the skills to secure investment so that you can achieve your ambitions for your company to grow. It is tailored to the needs of different creative disciplines, their respective markets, governance and distribution models.   

Stage 1

Stage 1

Applications are now closed.

This programme is designed to give creative businesses the knowledge and confidence to grow their commercial models and explore investment opportunities. 

Coaching and Diagnostic: Businesses will be offered a mentoring session at the beginning and midway through the programme with the aim of defining and refining their ambitions for investment. At the end of the programme businesses will undertake a diagnostic with a panel of investment mentors who will provide individual feedback and referrals for future activity.     

Ethical Equity Simulator: A six-month subscription to a unique piece of software that enables users to learn about the different types of investment from a practical point of view. The Simulator encourages founders to put themselves in an investors’ shoes and experience commercial investment from their perspective. This is an enjoyable way of learning and can provide invaluable insight in preparation for pitching, networking and negotiating within the investment community.   

Cohort Workshops: Businesses will take part in a series of in person and online workshops that are designed to unlock their commercial capacity and describe routes to investment and growth. Content covered will include:   

  • Creative Minds Bootcamp: Discovering and exploiting your Intellectual Property with Erica Wolfe Murray over 2 days of in person training.   
  • Investment 101: An overview of different types of investment and how they might impact your company structure with our Lead Investment Mentor   
  • Commercial Business Models and Legal Advice for Creative Sub Sectors   
  • Deep dive days on how to access networks and make sales e.g commercial touring or making your building work for you.   
  • Sustainability: Environmental and financial advice.  
Stage 2

Stage 2

Applications are now closed.

Stage 2 is a 9 month investment readiness programme for businesses who are ambitious about commercial models, growth and investment.

  • Diagnostic meetings with investment mentors will precede your application and will support you to dig deeper into your business plans and finances to look at what scaling up might offer you and how investment can help. These are individual diagnostic meetings with one business / applicant at a time.   
  • Online and in person workshops, events, and talks that provide overarching business skills and tools, sector specific advice and resources.    
  • Peer to Peer Learning Sessions that will give you a regular place to share experiences, explore challenges as a wider team and consider your place in the wider creative industry ecology in Devon.   
  • One to One Mentorship that provides 27 hrs bespoke advice and coaching to clarify your vision, business model and ask. The sub sector specialist matched you as an investment mentor will support you to write business plans, proposals, investment pitches and applications ready for an investment process.   
  • Events to network, practice your pitch, meet investors and showcase your business.  
What is the eligibility? 

What is the eligibility?

For Stage 1, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing   

For Stage 2, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing  
  • Can you provide information on turnover and how investment will help you to scale your business?  

If you do not yet have a registered business and are a sole trader there is still time to get some advice about registering a business and taking that first step. Creative UK are working with partners to provide webinars and advice drop ins over the next few months so you can be eligible for the programme. Learn more on our events page.  

Stage 1

Applications are now closed.

This programme is designed to give creative businesses the knowledge and confidence to grow their commercial models and explore investment opportunities. 

Coaching and Diagnostic: Businesses will be offered a mentoring session at the beginning and midway through the programme with the aim of defining and refining their ambitions for investment. At the end of the programme businesses will undertake a diagnostic with a panel of investment mentors who will provide individual feedback and referrals for future activity.     

Ethical Equity Simulator: A six-month subscription to a unique piece of software that enables users to learn about the different types of investment from a practical point of view. The Simulator encourages founders to put themselves in an investors’ shoes and experience commercial investment from their perspective. This is an enjoyable way of learning and can provide invaluable insight in preparation for pitching, networking and negotiating within the investment community.   

Cohort Workshops: Businesses will take part in a series of in person and online workshops that are designed to unlock their commercial capacity and describe routes to investment and growth. Content covered will include:   

  • Creative Minds Bootcamp: Discovering and exploiting your Intellectual Property with Erica Wolfe Murray over 2 days of in person training.   
  • Investment 101: An overview of different types of investment and how they might impact your company structure with our Lead Investment Mentor   
  • Commercial Business Models and Legal Advice for Creative Sub Sectors   
  • Deep dive days on how to access networks and make sales e.g commercial touring or making your building work for you.   
  • Sustainability: Environmental and financial advice.  

Stage 2

Applications are now closed.

Stage 2 is a 9 month investment readiness programme for businesses who are ambitious about commercial models, growth and investment.

  • Diagnostic meetings with investment mentors will precede your application and will support you to dig deeper into your business plans and finances to look at what scaling up might offer you and how investment can help. These are individual diagnostic meetings with one business / applicant at a time.   
  • Online and in person workshops, events, and talks that provide overarching business skills and tools, sector specific advice and resources.    
  • Peer to Peer Learning Sessions that will give you a regular place to share experiences, explore challenges as a wider team and consider your place in the wider creative industry ecology in Devon.   
  • One to One Mentorship that provides 27 hrs bespoke advice and coaching to clarify your vision, business model and ask. The sub sector specialist matched you as an investment mentor will support you to write business plans, proposals, investment pitches and applications ready for an investment process.   
  • Events to network, practice your pitch, meet investors and showcase your business.  

What is the eligibility?

For Stage 1, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing   

For Stage 2, you will need to say yes to the following questions:  

  • Do you have a registered business (Ltd company, CIC or Charity)  
  • Are you based in Devon?   
  • Do you work in the creative sector? This includes Live Arts, Visual Arts, Film, Gaming, Software, Fashion, Design, Marketing, Crafts, Architecture, Publishing  
  • Can you provide information on turnover and how investment will help you to scale your business?  

If you do not yet have a registered business and are a sole trader there is still time to get some advice about registering a business and taking that first step. Creative UK are working with partners to provide webinars and advice drop ins over the next few months so you can be eligible for the programme. Learn more on our events page.  

Events in Devon

Find out about the events happening for creatives across Devon.

Visit our Devon events page.

Contact Us

Contact Us

  1. Email our Programme Manager sam.spake@wearecreative.uk or Lead Devon & Cornwall Programme Manager
    Suzie.West@wearecreative.uk to start a conversation.
  2. Meet Sam and Suzie face-to-face to complete the EOI stage informally at an event.
  3. You also complete the form below to register your interest in Creative UK Devon and be added to our mailing list: 


Want to know more? 

Want to know more?

Find out more in our upcoming online explainer and Q&A webinars or join Suzie in person at one of our Cakey Tea events. Find out more on our events page.

Find out about the events happening for creatives across Devon.

Visit our Devon events page.

Contact Us

  1. Email our Programme Manager sam.spake@wearecreative.uk or Lead Devon & Cornwall Programme Manager
    Suzie.West@wearecreative.uk to start a conversation.
  2. Meet Sam and Suzie face-to-face to complete the EOI stage informally at an event.
  3. You also complete the form below to register your interest in Creative UK Devon and be added to our mailing list: 


Want to know more?

Find out more in our upcoming online explainer and Q&A webinars or join Suzie in person at one of our Cakey Tea events. Find out more on our events page.

Who is delivering the programme? 

Who is delivering Devon Create Growth Programme?

The Create Growth Programme is funded by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and aims to support creative businesses in planning for growth and exploring and securing commercial investment opportunities. 

The programme will be delivered by Creative UK in partnership with West of England Combined Authority, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, Exeter University, University of Plymouth, Plymouth Culture and Real Ideas Organisation. 

FAQs

FAQs

Make sure to read our FAQs before submitting your EOI.  Read our FAQs here. 

Who is delivering Devon Create Growth Programme?

The Create Growth Programme is funded by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and aims to support creative businesses in planning for growth and exploring and securing commercial investment opportunities. 

The programme will be delivered by Creative UK in partnership with West of England Combined Authority, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, Exeter University, University of Plymouth, Plymouth Culture and Real Ideas Organisation. 

FAQs

Make sure to read our FAQs before submitting your EOI.  Read our FAQs here. 

Stories from the programme

Meet the Stage 1 Devon Cohort

Meet the Devon Create Growth Programme Stage 1 cohort. 

The group are now embarking on a six-month programme of business support to get the knowledge and confidence to grow their commercial models and explore investment opportunities. Meet the cohort here. 

Meet the Stage 2 Devon Cohort

Meet the Devon Create Growth Programme Stage 2 cohort. 

The group are now embarking on a nine-month programme of business support to learn about commercial models, growth and investment to realise their business ambitions. Meet the cohort here. 

Meet the Devon Create Growth Programme Stage 1 cohort. 

The group are now embarking on a six-month programme of business support to get the knowledge and confidence to grow their commercial models and explore investment opportunities. Meet the cohort here. 

Meet the Devon Create Growth Programme Stage 2 cohort. 

The group are now embarking on a nine-month programme of business support to learn about commercial models, growth and investment to realise their business ambitions. Meet the cohort here.