UCL, one of the top-ten universities in the world, and the Goldman Sachs Foundation, are delighted to announce the launch of an exciting new programme of training and mentoring to help high-potential small businesses reach new levels of growth and boost profits.
Called “10,000 Small Businesses”, the programme combines a series of intensive workshops, dedicated one-on-one business advice and long-term mentoring. It will help small businesses create jobs and economic opportunity by providing greater access to business education, financial capital, and business support services.
The programme is offered free of charge to participants. Demand for places is expected to be high and the selection process involves a detailed application form and interviews. The aim will be to identify the companies that will most benefit from the programme and have the highest capacity for growth.
Applicants from all business areas will be welcome, from retail to high-tech, via manufacturing and services. The organisers are particularly keen to see a broad range of participants, including social enterprises as well as for-profit businesses.
The programme has run in the US for several years and has already proven a success in Manchester and Leeds. It was launched in Birmingham last month and will now be offered in London for the first time.
A series of briefing sessions for potential participants and referral partners will take place during October and November.
Each session will include an overview of the programme, how it benefits participants, the application process and experiences from some of those that have completed it.
To sign up for one of the sessions, please follow one of the links, below:
20 October, 6pm, UCL, Central London
24 October, 6pm, Coin Street Centre, Near Waterloo
2 November, 6pm, The Trampery, Shoreditch
Online applications will open next week and run until 12 December. Short listed applicants will be interviewed in the second half of January 2012 and workshops will run from 16 February to the end of May 2012.