You are at the scale stage

Common priorities

• Strategy

  The business is clearly doing well, but where are you taking the company now and how are you going to do it? If you qualify for our Scaleup Programme, an in depth site visit by two of our scaleup directors, with further appraisal and support provided by their Scaleup Board colleagues, is designed to establish if your plans are sound, achievable and would be backed by investors – and we can help you critique them, playing devil’s advocate.

  For example, you might be looking to expand, and bring some production in-house (rather than assembling supplied components). What will that do to your bottom line? And is it the right move for you?

• Talent acquisition

  Does the business have the right talent in place to deliver these plans? Often, we see a client looking to expand its business development / sales / marketing talent. Likewise, does the senior level management team have the right skill profile, and is it running the right processes? Who is driving the culture needed to make your scaling plans happen?

  We help you work out where the gaps are and work with you to identify the approach to fill them.

• Infrastructure

  Expansion at scale often brings with it requirements for larger IT systems; moving away from spreadsheets and into more sophisticated software, for example. And depending on your sector and business model is your physical space and manufacturing capacity fit for your plans? The time might be right for you to establish another physical presence elsewhere in the UK or abroad. We would help you consider the best vehicle in country. Maybe a joint venture for example. Our contacts will help provide you with intelligence for many territories and further insights critical for your business’ success.

• Finance

  In earlier stages of the business, funding and finance raises have been for smaller amounts. Now you need to look at your funding and finance needs strategically, considering the relative merits of additional grant funding, an equity raise, debt funding and possible combinations of these. You are looking to series A and B, venture capital and possibly also towards a listing.

  We will help you get ready for investment, ensuring you are attractive to investors so you can articulate what you will use the money for and when the expected return might be. Likewise, we will help you make sure your management accounts are in order and your plans stack up in terms of cash flow for the longer haul.

• New markets

  In the UK this could be pivoting to other markets or customer segments you have identified from reviewing your business model and value propositions – a service we offer our clients, which also looks at channels to reach those audiences, as well as the partners, activities and resources required to do it. Underpinning that, we clarify the cost structure and revenue streams to identify whether sufficient funds are in place.

  If you are looking to expand internationally to build on what you have already achieved, the right strategic partners can unlock regions or countries. You could consider developing R&D and innovation partnerships and collaborations to build longer term relationships or find potential end users and customers.  We can work with you to open up new opportunities through our connections and networks as well as help you in considering product market fit, legislation, price point and standards/certifications.

  We can help you link into the support provided through Innovate UK Business Growth such as sourcing and establishing connections with new collaborators and business partners through our network across the Innovate UK family and via our membership of Enterprise Europe Network (the world’s largest business-to-business collaboration network); applying to be part of the Global Business Innovation Programmes and Global Incubator Programmes; and finally, accessing international R&D and innovation programmes such as Horizon Europe, Eureka Eurostars and other international competitions run by Innovate UK.