Beyond Business
Our award-winning support programme for emerging social enterprises in east London helps get great business ideas off the ground.
Relaunching our exciting programme, January 2020.
Your business idea must have clear social purpose and the applicant must live in Tower Hamlets, Hackney or Newham.
Alan.Woolston@bbbc.org.uk
Kim.Hayman@bbbc.org.uk
020 8709 9722
What you’ll be doing
Image courtesy of alumni, Well Grounded.
Beyond Business is an award-winning support programme for emerging social enterprises in east London. Successful applicants receive up to £17,000 in funding as well as training and support to help get great business ideas off the ground.
Since Investec became the sole funder of the programme in 2011, we’ve helped set up almost 50 new social enterprises in Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham, 80% of which are still in business. 300 jobs have been created in east London and a combined turnover of £5m has been generated.
If you have a great business idea that will deliver positive impact in east London, contact us to find out more.
The Beyond Business programme is generously supported by Investec.
What we do
We seek out budding entrepreneurs who are committed to creating successful businesses that are both profit making and deliver serious social and/or environmental outcomes. We invite them to pitch their business ideas to the Beyond Business ‘Dragon’s Den’ style panel. Successful applicants are then provided with up to £17k of investment funding as well as membership of the programme.
The combination of investment funding and skills support helps to ensure the entrepreneurs success in creating sustainable businesses.
We provide training and support in:
- Business planning
- Sales and marketing
- Financial control
- Becoming an employer
- IT for start-ups
- Pro bono legal help
Our achievements
We have a very successful track record with a realistic proven business model that creates lasting benefits. Since the programme was launched eight years ago, we have:
- Set up over 70 new social enterprises in Tower Hamlets and beyond
- Helped to generate a combined turnover in excess of £6m
- Created over 370 new jobs in east London
- Fostered a dynamic network of enterprises that support each other
- Given budding local entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to create a social business
See who we’ve supported here and get in touch to find out more.
