A group of ambitious Greater Manchester-based businesses are flying high after completing GM Business Growth Hub’s inaugural ASCEND programme.
As a result of the success of the programme, headed by Kellie Noon, the companies are now collaborating, exporting, innovating and leading after a nine-month scaling journey.
From international contracts and game-changing partnerships to product launches and personal breakthroughs, the programme has been hailed as transformational by the entrepreneurs – and it will be back for this year.
Parker Neal
“ASCEND gives you the tools and it gives you the links to people,” said Dave Parker, co-founder of Parker Neal.
The digital consultancy firm gained three new international clients from the cohort’s trip to Web Summit last November. These clients have delivered around £120,000 in revenue for the company.
It also expanded into new offices in DiSH.
“You’re almost becoming embedded in that growth spider’s web of being connected,” Parker continued.
“There are a lot of like-minded businesses and like-minded individuals, and that really helps.”
Pimberly
B2B software firm Pimberly is also scaling internationally, with clients spanning Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Europe.
Closer to home, it recently welcomed Wolseley and LWC Drinks – the UK’s largest independent drinks wholesaler – to its customer base.
CFO Paul Cook said ASCEND delivered much more than just business advice.
He explained: “We’ve used GM Business Growth Hub before for funding, training and support, but this programme helped with networking, publicity, exposure and cutting-edge thinking from KPMG around all aspects of running a company.
“The camaraderie is amazing. It’s like ChatGPT for founders!”
The company is now gearing up for a potential funding round, likely later this year or in early 2026.
In May 2025, Pimberly won a King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
DigiTech Oasis
Another winner of a King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, this time in 2024, was Digitech Oasis.
The firm, led by Ayaan Mohamed Ali, says it is revolutionising industries such as warehousing with AI-driven solutions and robotics.
Ali also won the £150,000 top prize at the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation’s 2025 Young Entrepreneurs awards in March, launched by easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
Sir Stelios said: “I think [the winners are] great role models for others to start their own business… that is how new jobs are created in the real economy.”
Specscart
For Specscart, the support was personal as well as professional. Founder Sid Sethi has big ambitions for the firm after realising his vision of bringing quality, low-priced eyewear to customers through tech.
Sethi has built lasting relationships with mentors like Dr Howard Simms and Dr Vikas Shah.
“I didn’t just focus on the mentor I was assigned. I thought: ‘When will I again get this opportunity to learn from geniuses in their realms and apply that to my business?’” he said. “It’s been fantastic.”
In April 2024 Sethi was named on the Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list.
Zapt
Phil Gold, founder of Zapt – which helps startups to build powerful AI applications in minutes without code – praised the strategic depth of the support.
“The regular sessions at KPMG helped lay the foundations – funding, legal, strategy, marketing,” he said.
“But this isn’t advice you could just read in a business book or watch on YouTube. It’s coming from people who really know their stuff.
“My mentor Susanna Lawson grew OneFile into a multi-million-pound business – when you’re able to talk to someone like that, the value is tremendous.”
Zapt has been selected by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) as one of their expert partners. “We have created a suite of apps specifically for organisations in the built environment to help them identify and resolve issues before they become expensive problems,” said Gold.
He added: “We’ve also created a partnership with Hopwood Hall College [in Rochdale] to support their T-Level Business students by giving them access to the Zapt platform and hands-on support – and mentoring to help them start bringing their ideas to life and building real apps with real potential.”
Mercury Support
The power of ASCEND extends beyond external connections – Mercury Support, an expert in compliance and HR solutions, has teamed up with a fellow cohort member in an official deal.
“We’ve done a business deal with another company on the cohort,” revealed Dave Mansbridge, its managing director.
“They’re taking an equity stake and joining our board. That just shows the power of this programme and it’s someone I can now call a good friend.”
Sticky
Sticky, which now has secured runway funding, is led by James Garner. He credited ASCEND for bringing invaluable real-world connections back into business life.
The firm allows the world’s biggest companies to take payments in 10 seconds or less via contactless stickers.
“The networking and camaraderie has done so much for us as a company, and for me personally,” said Garner. “You can’t put a price on spending time with other entrepreneurs.
“I commute from West Yorkshire and hadn’t really done that kind of networking since I lived in London. I’d love to see more of this.”
Carrs Pasties
For Carrs Pasties, the programme has been part of a broader cultural transformation, highlighted by the company winning the ‘Best Cultural Change’ award at the GM Good Employment Awards.
Joe Carr, now managing director of the Bolton-based family business, joined the cohort’s trip to Portugal – and came away with more than sunshine.
“We didn’t get as much business done as we might’ve liked, but we met so many interesting people,” he explained.
“It gave me the chance to connect with people in the cohort I otherwise wouldn’t have met.”
Circle of Trust
Circle of Trust, founded by Lawson and Tracy (TJ) Johnson, has launched in various towns and cities.
The community-first platform allows people to share jobs, events and recommendations, then connects them to local support services.
It has more recently secured a deal to join Oldham Athletic’s Business Club, with the brand highlighted on the advertising boards around Boundary Park.
H2Origin
H2Origin Refills is on a mission to expand access to water bottle refill stations across public and private spaces, helping to reduce the packaging waste and CO₂ footprint associated with bottled water.
The firm, led by founder Dominic Appleby, debuted in seventh position on BusinessCloud’s recent EnviroTech 50 ranking.
“Onboarding high profile clients that have identified that the provision of high quality water bottle refilling is an effective ESG initiative that requires minimal cost,” said Appleby.
“We’ve raised investment from GMCA and a private business in the water compliance space… with more to follow. Both tranches of investment have been agreed whilst we were on ASCEND.”
Perfect Sense Energy
Another firm to feature on the EnviroTech 50 – this time in fourth spot – was Perfect Sense Energy.
Led by Gary Brandwood, the business delivers tailored commercial solar PV solutions – using over 15 years’ industry experience and trusted technology to cut costs, carbon and maximise efficiency.
Wolf Network Security
Wolf Network Security, founded by identical twins Lewis and Ryan Keeling, won Pen Testing Company of the Year at the REAL Cyber Awards in December 2024 while they were finalists for the Climb25 Cyber Security Innovation of the Year recently.
PixelTree Media
James Hamilton, CEO at experience design agency PixelTree Media, said the firm saw a huge increase in revenue in Q1 this year.
Look out for more upcoming opportunities from the Business Growth Hub to scale your business.