Sponsorship

Bridges Fund Management (formerly Bridges Ventures) is a specialist fund manager focused exclusively on sustainable and impact investing, with offices in London and New York. The Bridges Sustainable Growth Funds invest in growth businesses that are helping to tackle some of our biggest social and environmental biggest challenges, supporting them to accelerate their commercial performance and deliver measurable positive impact. Bridges was founded in 2002 and has since raised over £900m to invest in impactful SMEs, properties and social sector organisations.

ECI is the UK’s leading growth-focused private equity firm. We invest in management buyouts and buyins for majority or minority equity investments in medium sized UK growth companies within the business & financial services, consumer, and TMT sectors. For more than 42 years we’ve invested across these sectors, gaining a wealth of experience in supporting high growth businesses. We typically invest £25m to £100m of equity in deals valued up to £200m. We believe in teamwork and collaboration, supporting ambitious management teams combining their knowledge and vision with our experience.

ORESA is at the forefront of insight-led strategy and headhunting. Our Growth Architecture system, designed for the founders and CEOs of rapid scale-ups, growing SMEs and global corporations, is unique. It audits, structures and optimises organisational capability for the digital, retail, fashion and consumer sectors.
We go beyond the obvious when recruiting exceptional people: Chairs and CEOs; functional Directors and Heads; from finance to creative. Our commitment is to the pursuit of your sustained, profitable growth and over the last five years our clients have grown by an average of 77%.

As businesses strive to develop and grow in this rapidly changing world, they need the support of people they can trust. At Santander, we’re committed to building close and enduring relationships with each of our business customers, so that we understand how we can help you achieve your business ambitions. As well as supporting your business locally through a network of Corporate Business Centres and specialists in the UK, we have a strong international presence thanks to our extensive global network in major markets. So, whether the next step is to invest in a new growth area, consider an acquisition or break into an overseas market, we can help you get ahead.

Santander is a significant player in the UK banking market with a track record of supporting high growth businesses. We’re passionate about helping ambitious businesses fulfil their potential, with a wide range of solutions that will give you the support you need to accelerate your business growth. From thought leadership pieces, such as our Trailblazers research to more practical help such as finance for expansion or working capital, we can help turn your vision into a reality. Read more about our Trailblazers research here

Arts Council England is the national development body for arts and culture across England, working to enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to visual art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2018 and 2022, we will invest £1.45 billion of public money from government and an estimated £860 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) helps businesses export and grow into global markets. It also helps overseas companies locate and grow in the UK. DIT’s Exporting is GREAT campaign, which launched in 2015, aims to build a movement around the UK of companies selling their products and services overseas. It focuses on raising awareness of the benefits of exporting, communicating where to go for support, and inspiring more companies to start trading internationally (or to expand their current reach).

The Centre for Entrepreneurs (CFE) is the UK’s leading entrepreneurship foundation. We are a charity (registered in England and Wales, number 1140102) that works to make the country more entrepreneurial. Activities include NEF Fast Track - A one-year development scheme is for aspiring young entrepreneurs and builds the UK’s top startup talent pool. Over 40% have gone on to become founders, collectively raising £56m in investment and creating 1,500+ jobs. We also run the Incubator and Accelerator Network and the Refugee Entrepreneurship Network and have advocated in-prison entrepreneurship programmes, uncovered how entrepreneurs are reviving seaside towns, championed refugee entrepreneurs and shattered negative stereotypes affecting women entrepreneurs.

The Creative Industries Federation exists to drive the creative future of the United Kingdom. We are the independent body that represents and convenes the UK’s creators and creative industries, working with partners to harness their collective power and respond to the challenges and opportunities that our sector faces both now and in the future. We believe that by promoting the prosperity of our sector, the fastest growing in the UK, the creative industries will continue to strengthen both our economy and global reputation and play a central role in every person’s quality of life.

At Elite Business, we’re passionate about championing new business. Providing fresh perspectives and representing disruptive solutions, we’re interested in the start-ups and SMEs that are spearheading Britain forward. From tech unicorns to entrepreneurs transforming healthcare with AI, we cover the movers and shakers making enterprising exciting. Every issue covers up-to-the-minute content and presents a unique angle on the thing’s enterprises need to know, from maximising the potential of mobile to setting the world alight on social media. We also gather the best and brightest voices in the community to share their experience.

Family Business United (‘FBU’) is an unparalleled rallying point and voice for the family business sector. Founded by Paul Andrews who has over 20 year’s experience of championing family firms across the UK it is an invaluable resource for family firms. FBU affords family business owners, directors and employees the opportunity to network, explore ways of dealing with specific issues and provides access to the best articles and insights from around the world. Innovative events, a bespoke magazine and an award-winning website plus an incredible presence on social media enhances their offering. Family firms are at the very heart of FBU, an organisation that really does put family business on the map.

Since 2003 The Supper Club have brought thousands of founders and CEO’s together to learn, connect and grow.  Enabling them and their teams to overcome challenges, create value, and drive scale through practical peer group learning, timely connections and entrepreneurial insights. We do this at all stages of the entrepreneur lifecycle, from scale to sale and beyond. The Supper Club is highly valued for the quality and diversity of its membership, event experiences and pro-active personal support. We bring the right members together at the right time to support each other in their journeys. By sharing their hard-learned lessons they help each other to make better decisions, quicker.