SWAGºÏ¼¯

Accelerating success for ethnic and women founders – A 10-week sponsored programme to enable the next phase of your business growth.

The Rise Together programme, sponsored by NatWest, has been specially designed to accelerate your success as a female or ethnic minority founder in the constantly changing social and economic environment.

The programme helps you to take a leap on your entrepreneurial journey and assists you to build a strong position for your business on the market. Our 10-week growth journey enables you to take time out from working in the business to focus on it, critically review your business plan, redefine your vision and strengthen your position on the market.

The 10-week Rise Together growth journey will equip you with improved skills to communicate your vision and value proposition not only to your customers, but also to councils, banks, investors, and other key stakeholders. You will develop knowledge that will demonstrate that you understand the environment in which you are operating, that you truly understand your customers and your target markets, that you understand your finances and that you have actions in place to achieve your goals.

Who can apply for the Rise Together Programme?

The Rise Together Programme is for early-stage female or ethnic minority founders, recognising that these groups are underrepresented in founding teams. This programme has, therefore, been designed specifically to meet the needs of these founders and enable them to accelerate the growth of their companies. The selected cohort will be at least 50% female.

Applications for the programme will open following the programme launch events, in November. Registration for the launch events will open shortly.

Selection for the programme will be at Cranfield’s discretion. Applications will be reviewed at least every four weeks. Early applications are therefore encouraged, and the closing date for applications will be 3 January 2025.

Company eligibility requirements

This programme is designed for early-stage founders. As such, applications are encouraged from companies under three years old or founders who have yet to incorporate their companies.

Companies and founding teams must be based in the SWAGºÏ¼¯ and the South East Midlands. The South East Midlands includes the following counties:

• Bedfordshire
• Buckinghamshire
• Cambridgeshire
• Derbyshire
• Leicestershire
• Lincolnshire
• Norfolk
• Northamptonshire
• Nottinghamshire
• Oxfordshire
• Rutland
• Suffolk

Applicant eligibility requirements

• Applicants must be part of the founding team, i.e. a founder, owner or shareholder.
• Applicants will be classified as coming from a minority ethnic background if they are not of white British heritage.
• Applications from those of white British heritage will be considered if they apply for the programme with a co-founder who is not of white British heritage.
• No more than two participants will be selected from a single company or founding team.

Funding information

Places on the Rise Together programme are fully funded by NatWest, and are free of charge to selected participants. A maximum of 50 participants will be selected for the programme. No more than two participants from each company or founding team can apply.

What will I get from the Rise Together Programme?

During the 10-week programme you will:

• Refine and review the vision and mission of your business
• Realign your business plan with the purpose of your business
• Analyse the market to develop a stronger position of your offering and how to compete in the market and the industry in which your business operates in
• Identify your customer and value proposition to find the optimal business model for your business
• Develop a deeper understanding how to work on your business vs. in your business
• Develop and prepare a comprehensive roadmap for your business
• Improve your communication and pitching skills to gain more visibility and increase your chances to secure funding for your business

At the end of the programme, you will have the opportunity to showcase your business as part of a networking event and will receive personalised feedback from investors and experts.

What does the Rise Together Programme look like?

This hybrid programme consists of face-to-face workshops and online sessions, and the key dates are listed below.

Two face-to-face one day workshops

These days will consist of a combination of practical workshops, on topics such as - your company’s vision, mission and values along with defining your value proposition, your business positioning on the market, business model and funding model.

Each workshop will also include a mentoring session with business mentors. These short sessions will provide you with the opportunity to ask specific questions about your business. Each workshop will conclude with a keynote speaker session followed by a networking event.

Three Entrepreneurship Speaker and Networking Events

These events can either be attended online or face-to-face. Please note that only the Entrepreneurship Speaker element will be shown online.

The aim of these events to provide you with an opportunity to be inspired and learn from successful entrepreneurs and the challenges they have faced along their entrepreneurial journey.

One Face-to-Face Showcase and Networking Event

During the Showcase Event you will have the opportunity to showcase your business and engage in short pitches to experts in the room.

Virtual Learning Education Platform (VLE)

You will benefit from gaining access to a virtual learning platform during the programme, where you can access all educational materials from the in-person workshops, engage in discussion with fellow participants and find added materials and tools to support your growth journey.

Programme dates

Workshop one – Face-to-Face – 23 January 2025 at MK:U from 09.30am - 4.00pm.

Entrepreneurship Speaker Series and Networking - Session 1 – Face-to-Face at SWAGºÏ¼¯ or Online – 13 February 2025 - 6.00-7.30pm.

Entrepreneurship Speaker Series and Networking - Session 2 – Face-to-Face at SWAGºÏ¼¯ or Online – 20 February 2025 - 6.00-7.30pm.

Entrepreneurship Speaker Series and Networking - Session 3 – Face-to-Face at SWAGºÏ¼¯ or Online – 27 February 2025 - 6.00-7.30pm.

Workshop two – Face-to-Face – 13 March 2025 at SWAGºÏ¼¯ from 09.30am - 4.00pm.

Showcase and Networking Event – Face-to-Face – 27 March 2025 at MK:U from 10.00am - 12noon.

Next steps

If you have any questions about the Rise Together Programme, please get in touch and we will be happy to schedule a call with you.