Small / Medium / Large is a pioneering initiative to accelerate business growth in design businesses from the DBA in association with NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts).

10 entrepreneurial design consultancies required to share £50,000 worth of tailored business advice and training.

• Is your company at that stage where you want to expand but you’re not sure how to go about it?

• Or maybe you know exactly what you want to do but you can’t find the opportunity to do it?

• How do you grow your company by 10 times in 2 years without it coming crashing down around you?

Deadline for applications 7 January 2005

If you would like to receive up to £5,000 worth of bespoke consultancy and training to give your firm a chance to focus on what you really want to do, and do it with the backing of people who've been there and done it before, then download full details or read on.

What is Small / Medium / Large?
Small / Medium / Large is a new UK wide initiative specifically designed to grow micro and small design businesses by offering free consultancy advice and training on developing your strategy and management capabilities. The initiative is a collaboration between the Design Business Association, Pembridge and NESTA, the fusion of which offers a unique combination of strategic consultancy and managerial training and development. Whilst all being specialists in growing or supporting creative businesses, the aim of this programme is to give your company the strategic skills to put you on the right track for growth and the personal skills to implement and manage that change. The objective is to create accelerated and sustainable growth.

There are 3 distinct phases:
Phase one
Strategic development – selected companies will start with two three-hour sessions with consultants from Pembridge and your company’s directors or board of directors. The second session will map out goals and develop an action plan.

Phase two
Development support – companies will be required to take part in an ongoing programme of support and training delivered by the Design Business Association.

Phase three
Mentoring support – where large blocks of work are required three further half days of consultancy time are available.

Are you eligible?
This initiative is open to any design-based micro or small business of less than 21 people limited by guarantee or structured as a partnership and resident in the UK for tax purposes. Companies have to have been trading for between three and seven years. This is a programme about growth so there has to be a desire to develop and grow the business.

How to apply?
Interested companies should complete the attached form and fax it to the DBA. Companies are asked to give details of owners, company history, brief mission statement, articulated aspirations, financial metrics and 100 words on what they hope to get out of the programme (*see note on data protection).

Download an application form here.

Timetable

Useful facts
1. We will shortlist up to 25 companies for the interview stage
2. We will select up to 10 companies for phase one and two of the programme
3. The programme will take 6 companies onto phase three
4. Training workshops will be located in London and organised by the DBA
5. Consultancy meetings will take place at four locations throughout the UK
6. Consultanies have to bear the costs of their own travel and accommodation where necessary

Final step
Please fax the completed application form, together with any additional sheets, to Adam Fennelow at the DBA on 07092 844 564.

What next?
Up to 25 shortlisted companies will be informed of their success by the end of January 2005. A telephone interview with Pembridge, our business accelerator partner, will follow to determine the final list of up to 10 companies to benefit from this programme. All companies will be notified by mid February 2005.

Contact
If you have any queries about this programme please contact Adam Fennelow at the DBA on 020 7251 9229 or adam.fennelow@dba.org.uk

Notes

About the partners in this collaboration:

	Design Business Association The DBA exists to promote professional excellence through productive partnerships between commerce and the design industry to champion effective design which improves the quality of people’s lives. For more details visit www.dba.org.uk/aboutdba
	Pembridge Partners LLP Ltd Pembridge is the UK's leading creative business accelerator. Established in 2001 it has nine partners in London and a network of regional based / sector specialist associates. They work extensively with public bodies such as Sector Skills Council and Regional Development Agencies. For more details visit www.pembridge.net
	NESTA NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) investing in innovators and working to improve the climate for creativity in the UK. Established in 1998 and set up with an endowment from the National Lottery (£200 million, raised in 2003 to £250 million), NESTA invests the interest to support UK innovation. Since May 2000, when the programmes first opened, NESTA has spent over £58m on programmes supporting 563 awards (figures to March 2004). To find out more visit www.nesta.org.uk

*Note on data protection
All data received will be dealt with in the utmost confidence. Under no circumstances will any of the details you provide be passed outside of the DBA, NESTA or Pembridge Partners Ltd. Any publicity material relating to the programme that includes your company will be sent to you for approval prior to release.