In September 2012, The Duke met Doug Richard at MADE: The Entrepreneur Festival in Sheffield. They discussed areas of Doug’s work including the School for Creative Startups (S4CS).
S4CS is an innovative, year-long programme specifically designed for artists and arts organisations, with unique ideas, wishing to grow sustainable businesses with creative integrity. The aim of S4CS is to teach the critical skills that are often missing from the education offered in art and design schools. The course offers accessible basic business curricula as well as hands-on support throughout the vulnerable early stage of developing a business.
In December 2012, The Duke visited the S4CS at Somerset House and had the opportunity to participate in two interactive surgery sessions.
HRH subsequently hosted an event to support young entrepreneurs from S4CS on Wednesday 30th January, 2013, at Buckingham Palace. During the event, four creative businesses had the opportunity to present their business models to a number of business angels. They were selected by the S4CS on the basis of their potential for return and previously had the chance to work with some of the country’s most experienced Finance Directors from My Business FD to refine their financial strategy and commercial plans.
The four businesses who presented at the event were:
- 1883 Media, a quarterly print magazine and multimedia platform
- Green and Pleasant, an organic beer producer
- Devika Dass, a luxury knitwear brand
- This is Your Kingdom, an online ‘insider’s guide’ to things to see and do in the UK
The event provided a pool of investment-ready creative businesses whilst playing an active role in building sustainable creative enterprise and boosting the UK’s emerging creative talent. As well as providing these businesses with the chance to meet and interact with potential investors, the pitch sessions gave the business angels an opportunity to speak one-to-one with investment prospects.
As a result of the event, three of the four businesses who presented have subsequently obtained their required initial investment.
The Duke hopes to continue to support similar angel investment sessions as part of his future programme.
For more information about S4CS, see http://schoolforcreativestartups.com/
