Last chance for ambitious Manchester businesses to apply for bespoke growth programme

GC Business Growth Hub is issuing a final call for applications to its exclusive Amplify programme as the October start date for its latest cohort approaches.

The programme is designed to support Greater Manchester’s digital, creative and tech businesses to successfully scale up.

The nine-month programme, part funded by the Local Growth Fund, is aimed at businesses with the highest potential to generate and sustain growth. Working with partners Form, it will provide successful applicants with support and advice from industry leaders, as well as the training and tools necessary to take their businesses to the next level. The programme is also part subsidised, with the Hub covering over two thirds of the programme, which is worth over £16,000 per business.

Having already received significant interest in its 2019-2020 programme, businesses are being encouraged to apply before the final spaces are filled through the Amplify website for the opportunity to be considered for the upcoming programme, starting in October. Successful applicants will join some of Greater Manchester’s fastest growing companies, including Ear to the Ground, Social Communications, Rapport, and Jam Pan Learning.

Chris Teague, Co-Founder of Rapport, said “Amplify offers Rapport the unique opportunity to learn from best in class digital, creative and tech businesses in Berlin. And access ongoing accountability and challenge supporting us to meet our growth ambitions. We are confident the programme will provide increased levels of clarity and accelerate our growth.”

In order to be successful, businesses must meet the following criteria:

• Be a company in the digital, creative & tech sector, working from the Greater Manchester area
• Have a minimum of 10 staff
• Have an ambitious leadership team
• Be aiming to grow the business consistently year-on-year

Applications from businesses which do not meet the above criteria but show exceptional potential for growth may also be considered.

Successful applicants will receive:

A three-day European Best Practice Study Trip to learn from some of the most dynamic creative and tech companies on the continent. The 2018-19 cohort visited Copenhagen to visit industry leaders like the Danish national broadcaster DR, world-renowned digital product studio UsTwo, and the disruptive fin-tech company Pleo.

The opportunity to work alongside dedicated and industry-seasoned Board Advisors to support each business’s growth journey

A two-day Growth Sprint for the whole leadership team to learn the high growth strategies used by the likes of Google and Lego

A programme of bespoke resources and monthly growth challenges

An exclusive Forward Planning and Showcase Event to celebrate successes and help businesses create plans to sustain growth beyond the programme

Speaking of their experience on the Amplify programme, Matt Haworth, Co-Founder of Reason Digital, said, “Amplify has helped drive clarity in our business, leading to better alignment, increased productivity and a solid strategic plan.”

Richard Jeffery, Director at GC Business Growth Hub, said, “This is the second year we are running the Amplify programme, and we’ve already seen interest from some of the best enterprising and exciting businesses in the Greater Manchester tech and creative sector.

“Last year’s alumni have had some wonderful successes, including Mustard Media’s new product offering that has helped build a bigger business pipeline, and Wilson Cooke’s growth experiments that have helped secure several new client wins. We’re confident that this year’s cohort will also go on to achieve great things and see tangible results with the support of the programme.”

All applications must be received by 23 September.

To apply, visit the GC Business Growth Hub website.

• amplify.businessgrowthhub.com/apply