This July we welcomed nineteen businesses from the creative industries onto our fifth cohort of the Greater Manchester Create Growth programme. The chosen venue was the historic, and suitably creative, Manchester Art Gallery.  

Funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Create Growth is designed to help founders across twelve UK city regions, to drive growth and explore the investment landscape.  

With a vibrant community of creative, digital and tech businesses, Greater Manchester proudly stands as one of the UK’s leading creative forces. 

Following the first day of Cohort 5, which invited founders to take a deep dive into their business processes, the second day focused on one of the biggest challenges faced by entrepreneurs in this sector: fundraising. 

Facilitators, Rebecca Stockdale and Sean Sankey of Much Clearer, played a pivotal role in guiding the participants through a thought-provoking and interactive session. They discussed the practicalities of obtaining the necessary funding, and provided a guide to various investment options, from the point of view of the funders.  

According to Rebecca, founders of a creative business can consider three different types of funding sources:  

Equity: Angels Fund, Venture Capitalist, SEIS & EIS, Crowdfunding, Friends & Family  

Debt: Bank Loans, Credit, Business Loans, Directors Loans  

Grants: Local Government, Innovate UK, Creative England  

“Growth can be accelerated through funding,” said Rebecca. “There are many different routes, and businesses need to be aware of the risks associated with each option. It’s important to have a good understanding of their financial condition and business nature before deciding on a funding source.”  

"When investors consider a potential investment, they examine key data such as sales figures, customer profiles, market size, competitors, and unique selling points," explained Rebecca. "Additionally, they want to learn more about the team, including their experience, mentors, and advisors. Investors will also evaluate the team's vision and growth plan. Ultimately, the most important factor influencing their decision is understanding how their investment will be used and why it's important to invest now."      

While Rebecca’s session tackled the logical side, Sean’s presentation focused more on the art of persuasion. 

“An investor’s biggest complaint is that people raising don’t seem to give a second thought to the other side of the table,” said Sean. “The way to get what YOU most want is to relentlessly get OTHERS what they most want.”  

“The session was very uplifting, and it helped us understand how the fundraising process works from the other side of the table,” said Gary Hilton, co-founder of GAS Music and Sound Design. “It served as a good reminder for those working in the creative business not to overthink things but to keep them simple. I will definitely recommend that others in the sector join the programme.”  

Adnan Amir, CEO of Colossal Films, who aims to release their first romantic thriller by the end of this year, also highly recommended the programme. “The idea of understanding how you can be of value to the other side is actually important in the fundraising process. It’s really thought-provoking to join the session.”  

The Create Growth programme is a national programme, funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and delivered in Greater Manchester by the GM Business Growth Hub on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).  

For more information and to apply for our December 2024 cohort please go to:  

Business Growth Hub | Create Growth