Business is about relationships – just ask GM Business Growth Hub director Janine Smith.
Smith has seen the ‘value of the cohort’ across many programmes over the years and is now taking the approach up a notch with its new flagship ASCEND Scale Up Programme.
Aimed at Greater Manchester’s ambitious founders, ASCEND is a dynamic, six-month development initiative starting in mid-September 2024. Its first cohort will comprise 25 founders poised for exponential growth.
“The power of a cohort programme is in the relationships it cements; in the peer network that is created as founders work on their businesses,” Smith explains to BusinessCloud.
“It’s about bringing the right people together that can gel and support each other, while also potentially matching up synergies across sectors.”
Web Summit
This November the cohort will attend Web Summit in Lisbon, joining more than 70,000 attendees at the world’s biggest tech conference. BusinessCloud will be among the media outlets reporting directly from the event.
“At Web Summit they will have the opportunity to meet global investors, as well as businesses from around the world that have ‘been there and done it’ – the value of those interactions is huge,” says Smith.
“Plus, because the visit is early in the programme, the ‘power of connection’ among the cohort businesses themselves is so important: people often become really good friends on a trip such as this. It cements the relationship.”
Sector-wide
Smith is keen to stress that businesses across all sectors are welcome to apply before the deadline of Friday 26th July 2024.
“We’ve delivered skill-up programmes in the past for pure digital, creative tech businesses, but for ASCEND any business with the potential to grow quickly is eligible,” she says.
“We’ve already had an application from a well-known traditional family business which is not in the pure tech sector. If you are forward-thinking in technology and looking to harness it, get in touch.”
Curated experience
ASCEND partner KPMG will lead a number of delivery days during the six-month programme, including an opening ‘Strategy to Action’ at its Ignition space in Manchester city centre. It will be followed by a series of workshops, fireside chats, lightning talks, coaching and mentoring, and demo days across the six months.
However ASCEND will be tailored to the particular needs of each business. “The ‘Strategy to Action’ opener will be an immersive day where we detail where the businesses are now; where they want to get to; and how we can get them there,” explains Smith.
“We don’t want the six months to be regimented: there will be a few core sessions – for example, the mindset of moving from founder to CEO, becoming investment-ready and introductions to investors – but the other sessions will not be mandatory.
“As part of the interview process in August, we will be asking people what they are looking to achieve; what their challenges are; and what they want to see from the programme.
“We will then look at how we can curate that for them.”
Advisors
Alongside programme mentors such as Apadmi co-founder Howard Simms, the cohort will have access to specialist advisors from both GM Business Growth Hub and KPMG.
“If somebody needs help with international expansion we can link them in with an advisor for that; likewise if they need help around people and team, or leadership and mindset.
“It will be tailored to their personal needs. We’re not putting any limit on the support – we will give them everything that they need.”
Founders interested in the programme are encouraged to apply by Friday 26th July 2024, with shortlisted applicants invited for an interview between 5-16th August.
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