Applications for the Growth Support Programme (GSP) are closing on Sunday 26 February.
It’s an award-winning programme from the Basecamp Enterprise Team for final years and graduates designed to prepare you for the final stage of the New Enterprise Competition (NEC), the Growth Stage, which has taken students’ businesses into the stratosphere! Here are 3 reasons you should consider taking the plunge and applying.
It will prepare you for the Growth Stage
The Growth Stage can seem like a formidable beast, as it requires a solid business plan and a business that is ready to scale up. But that is where the Growth Support Programme comes in, offering you support in the form of events and workshops, such as how to market your start-up to the ins and outs of legal technicalities. It will also pair you with an expert mentor. This brings us nicely to our next reason:
Receive tailored, individual mentorship
The Growth Support Programme will ensure that you are paired with a skilled mentor. They will be a business expert, offering crucial guidance as you take your business to the next level. The mentor will provide critical support and feedback, and give you the skills to navigate the challenges you may face, as well as provide you with a sounding board for your ideas. This kind of support can be invaluable to new businesses, and can be instrumental in helping avoid common pitfalls! You will also receive access to global business incubator SETsquared’s advisers in residence. This highly sought after support will be available to you for free, and the team at SETsquared are on hand to answer any questions you have about your product, finances, investment opportunities, and more!
It’s a gateway to a wider network
The Growth Support Programme will expose you to unique networking opportunities, getting you and your business out into the wider community of start-ups and entrepreneurship in Bristol. There is an incredibly supportive and collaborative network of like-minded people in Bristol, and entering the GSP will give you the opportunity to tap into it. Give it a try by attending one of Basecamp’s networking events.
We caught up with Beverley Samways (Social Work, PhD), who had this to say about participating in the GSP:
“The practical training and personal support have enabled me to transform the idea into a well thought out, actionable plan. I now have a brand which is informing the logo, website, and social posts. I have a clear business plan, including financial projections, clear information about the market and an ability to define my USP. I also have found mentors and cheer leaders along the way, who have helped validate the idea so that I can move forward with confidence.“
So, what are you waiting for?
Get Involved!
The GSP is an incredible way to accelerate your business, and give you the tools you need to follow a path in life that you carve out for yourself. If you need to chat about your application, or anything start-up, email careers-basecamp@bristol.ac.uk.