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The two companies who will run the next cohorts of the £1.3m East Midlands Create Growth programme have been appointed.

Greenborough Management and CDI Alliance will deliver business support to regional creative companies looking to grow their businesses. The fully-funded scheme is due to start its next cohort in May.

Æß²ÊÖ±²¥ Leicester (Æß²ÊÖ±²¥) is proud to be a champion for the Create Growth programme in the region, working with partners to support creative businesses. The programme takes companies in any area of the creative sector through a series of training, workshops and mentoring to help them take the next step to grow their business.


The team at Greenborough Management

Creative industries are worth more than £100 billion to the UK economy and account for 2.3 million jobs. Research in 2021 found there are more than 2,500 Creative and Cultural businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire.

Lincoln-based Greenborough Management will deliver cohorts 2 and 4, starting in early May and September respectively. CDI Alliance, based in Leeds and operating across the UK, will deliver cohorts 3 and 5, starting in May and October. CDI Alliance led the East Midlands programme’s first cohort.

Greenborough Managing Director Russell Copley said: “We’re looking forward to working with exciting companies in the creative field and helping them prepare for growth and get investment ready.

“Our programme will be led by practitioners who live and breathe their subject area, delivering sessions tailored specifically towards the creative sector, meaning businesses who sign up to the programme benefit from expert insight targeted to them.”


CDI Alliance's Guy Lewis and Deborah Goodall

Guy Lewis, Director at CDI Alliance, said: “Our first cohort were enthusiastic, engaged and committed to the programme.“We had some really encouraging feedback about the masterclasses, our experts and support offered throughout the programme and look forward to extending our support to our next two cohorts.”

Greenborough’s programme will be largely delivered through in-person workshops. CDI’s programme will take place virtually, following an initial in-person session.

Businesses signing up to cohorts 2 and 4 with Greenborough Management will benefit from in-person sessions focusing on:
•    Diagnostic: Identifying business needs and drawing up a bespoke action plan
•    Workshops: Delivered by experts, covering Business Model and Innovation; Markets and Customers; Leadership, People and Processes; Finance and Funding, and Business Growth Plan.
•    Masterclasses: Two sessions, all with businesses

Create Growth was launched in 2022 by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) in partnership with Innovate UK. It is designed to support the development of creative industries with high-growth potential across England, outside of London.

Applications for the second programme will open soon.