Five creative businesses in Greater Manchester will be given the opportunity to attend South by Southwest in Austin, Texas in March 2025, as part of the GM Business Growth Hub delegation.

The SXSW conference is a leading destination for all players in the global creative community, offering a platform to explore groundbreaking concepts, uncover fresh passions, and connect with like-minded professionals.

The five businesses will receive fully funded travel and admission to the event, providing the opportunity to immerse themselves, gain inspiration, and form those new connections.

This opportunity is exclusively open to founders of businesses from the Digital, Creative and Tech sector, who are part of our existing Create Growth Alumni, plus those who will be joining our October cohort (10th and 17th). 

“Attending SXSW is an incredible opportunity for creative businesses in our region,” says Becki Coen, Digital, Creative and Technology (DCT) Programme Manager at GM Business Growth Hub.

“Thousands of the most innovative and inspiring minds come together in one place to reach new connections and markets from around the world. I’m excited that we get to expand on our delegation from last year and offer even more businesses in Greater Manchester the priceless networking opportunities SXSW has. The festival showcases a unique insight into the future of the sector, inspiring businesses with creative new ideas to bring back home and support their growth.”

Mike Todd, Founder and CEO of Near-Life, an easy-to-use platform for creating interactive VR and gamified content, attended SXSW with GM Business Growth Hub early this year.

“Attending SXSW as part of the Growth Hub’s mini-Manchester delegation was a fantastic opportunity. Not only did it allow us to meet new contacts and talk with potential clients and investors, but it also allowed us to engage with some of the thought leaders, which would not have been possible without this trip. And it certainly benefited us and our presence over there to be under the Manchester ‘umbrella’, given the clear affection so many have for the city and its cultural reputation.” 

The Create Growth Programme is fully funded by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and is designed to help creative businesses realise their full growth potential, become investment ready and take their business to the next level.

Businesses in Greater Manchester can access an in-depth, two-day cohort programme, follow-on coaching sessions, and masterclasses on various specialist topics. Participants will work with a dedicated one-to-one Business Advisor alongside the peer-to-peer elements of the programme, ensuring comprehensive and unwavering support for their growth journey.

Pippa Nixon, founder of award-winning brand communications company Scoop PR, joined Create Growth in 2023. “Taking two days off from your business to look at it from a strategic point of view can unlock many new opportunities. I highly recommend it regardless of your business size. During the course, I noticed different levels and types of creative businesses, but we all faced the same challenges. This realisation was reassuring.”

Pippa also said, “The speakers were brilliant, and we had interesting discussions about experimenting with new ideas and different things to ensure our marketing efforts were effective. It was a very valuable experience.” 

For more information on the Create Growth programme and to apply to join the programme in October, please go to:

Business Growth Hub | Create Growth