Drawing on his 30 years of experience as a successful national and international bid writer, Kevin Brooks will be leading this Masterclass, also offering an opportunity for a 1-to-1 session with him afterwards. With limited space available, this will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

How will this masterclass be delivered?

• Short bursts of lecture content.
• Q&A pitstops to consolidate learning.
• Potential for a 1-to-1 with Kevin Brooks afterwards.

What content will be covered?

• Milestone Zero: we will explore whether grant funding is the right avenue. If yes, then plan how to deliver the best possible result
• Know your funder – we will explore who funders are (what makes them tick), exploring their grant offers and what they are looking for in a fundable project (true innovation, a great team to deliver it, a complete understanding of the market/competitors, understanding of the project delivery risks and mitigations, a clear demonstration of potential impact and value for money, etc).
• Explore the Innovate UK Smart Grants.
• Know your assessor – explore the profile of an assessor taking into consideration key factors impacting their decision-making/scoring
• Hints tips and hacks for writing a bid including identifying key requirements, drafting a framework, and readability test via a second pair of eyes review

“Being a founder is like being on a rollercoaster. I say it is being on 10 rollercoasters all at once.

We tell ourselves to grin and bear it, to enjoy the ride, to embrace the hustle. We convince ourselves that we will just burn the candle at both ends for the next 6 months, hit that next big milestone and then we can sleep. Resilience is an important entrepreneurial skill, after all, and everyone else is making it work – aren’t they?

True resilience isn’t just getting back up whenever we get knocked down. No one can successfully navigate the leadership demands of entrepreneurship if they constantly feel like they are stumbling around after a knock-out punch.

We can be resilient, effective leaders, founders and entrepreneurs AND be mindful of sustaining our own health. In fact, I think it is imperative to the success of your business.

In this one-hour virtual workshop, we will examine our own relationships to leadership, hear stories from other founders and take away some tools to set you up for business success without sacrificing yourself!” – Dr Becky Sage.

You must be a member of the FWD project to attend. Register using the Expression of Interest form below, and select this masterclass. 

If you are a member wanting to attend, please use the innovation platform to register, and a member of our team will be in touch.

Who should attend?

The Business Strategy Workout is the ideal learning opportunity for any health and wellbeing businesses who are keen to explore their business model in more depth. We welcome applications from organisations operating in the health and wellbeing sectors, that are an SME, an individual entrepreneur with a registered business, sole traders, partnership organisations, a limited company (Ltd) or a community interest company (CIC, CIO).

Attendees must be members of The FWD Project and there is no cost involved to join. The programme is fully-funded by the West of England Combined Authority, making it free for businesses to access this tailored support. Please submit an expression of interest below before you register.

Register and a member of the team will be in touch 👉Sign Up!

Promoting a new product or technology to a global corporation is an attractive option for an early-stage company. The corporate client provides access to large, international markets, a high-profile customer reference to attract future investors and clients, and opens a possible exit route for the founders. However, it can also present significant risks to your business in terms of intellectual property, reputation, and cash burn.

This SETsquared masterclass, delivered as part of The FWD Project, explores strategies for attracting the interest of big companies, managing technology demonstrations and evaluations, and ultimately winning their business.

Note: This masterclass is available to members and non-members of The FWD Project.

Scroll down to the online registration form and submit an Expression of Interest, making sure to select this masterclass in your application.

Join us for an insightful event designed to empower health start-ups and SMEs with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate procurement opportunities within the NHS and beyond.

In addition to focusing on the NHS, this event will broaden the discussion to include alternative pathways for health start-ups and SMEs, including insurers, care homes and private healthcare providers.

Through fireside chats and a panel discussion, you’ll also benefit from hearing first-hand about the experiences of other health start-ups that have successfully secured contracts and expanded their markets. They will be sharing their stories, the challenges they faced, and the solutions they implemented to achieve success, helping you decide which path will be most beneficial to your business.

Scroll down to the online registration form and submit an Expression of Interest, making sure to select this masterclass in your application.

You will be supported by a team of highly experienced mentors with backgrounds in the sector, who will arm you with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complex world of venture funding here in the UK.

By the end of the course, you will clearly understand the investment landscape, be able to position your company to attract the right type of investor, and successfully plan a multi-stage investment campaign.

Register by selecting this event in your Expression of Interest application form, and a team member will be in touch.