Tech companies across the South West are now being offered the chance to take part in Tech South West's new business support programme.
Growth Forge will offer the region's tech firms the chance to work with top growth coaches and experts. It will see firms utilise a proprietary assessment tool to identify two- to-three priority areas, then work with partners such as Microsoft, Sandler, Bishop Fleming, Ashfords, Howden and Program, along with a range of specialist business coaches, to develop and implement opportunities for growth.
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The ‘supergroup’ of growth coaches includes business TedX speaker and author Ruth Farenga, business acceleration consultant Andy Clarke, tech CTO Matt Jones, Alicia Grimes, company culture expert and co-founder of The Future Kind, and international pitch guru Martin Barnes.
Dan Pritchard, founder of Tech South West said: “Most tech companies don’t have a team of highly experienced non-executive directors, including former tech CEOs, entrepreneurs and active investors covering every aspect of what a successful growth business requires.
“That’s where Growth Forge comes in; a cost-effective way to build and implement a strategy based on your company’s needs today, by plugging tech leaders directly into a curated team of standout experts who have the relevant expertise combined with a can-do attitude, supreme tech knowledge and essential contacts.”
Areas of expertise that companies can focus on include strategy, market awareness, innovation, technology, commercialisation, leadership, team, funding, finance, risk, IP, sales, marketing and brand.
Neil Morris, chief executive of Bristol-based Kelpi, was part of Tech South’s 2023 programme ScaleUp Studio. He said: “It was an invaluable part of Kelpi’s journey. We landed key new clients, nearly doubled the size of the team and made huge progress with our materials technology. Working within the Tech South West ecosystem has been a key part of our ability to grow sustainably.”
Other tech firms involved last year included Digilab, Small Robot Company, Arc Marine, FerryX and xigxag.
