Cranfield School of Management and Central Bedfordshire Council are delighted to announce that they are working together by creating an innovative scholarship programme to support the growth of local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Thanks to the provision of funding by Central Bedfordshire Council, businesses will be able to apply for scholarship places on some of Cranfield University's most highly regarded courses.

State Funded through the Additional Restrictions Grant.

 

Ready for Scale

Ready for Scale supports micro and small enterprises to develop the skills to help their business take a leap forward on its growth trajectory. This 12-week online programme will follow a carefully developed methodology, informed by our Business Growth Programme, and will help smaller or earlier stage businesses to critically review themselves, assess their position and work out what is and isn’t working.

Whether participants want to transform their company from a life-style business into a fast-growth business or establish how to deal with the challenges presented by Covid-19 or leaving the EU, Ready for Scale will support them to achieve their goal, take the opportunities available and take their business to the next level.

Find out more about this innovative programme, or hear what our previous participants have to say.

Applications are now closed

Check your eligibility


 

Net Zero Top-up

SMEs who have previously attended the Business Growth Programme or Ready for Scale programme can receive an additional 6 weeks support to understand their carbon footprint and make a plan to reduce emissions.

Applications are now closed

Check your eligibility


 

Business Growth Programme

For over 30 years Cranfield University’s Business Growth Programme (BGP) has been helping business owners achieve their growth goals.  From supporting household names like Hotel Chocolat and Go Ape, to growing highly successful businesses in the B2B sectors. Given the current COVID crisis, we feel it is more important to make BGP accessible to those that need it.

To qualify, your business should be at least 3 years old, with a minimum turnover of £500,000 and a minimum of 7 employees.

Find out more about this amazing programme, or hear what our previous participants have to say.

Setter Limited logo“I have felt incredibly lucky to be given a scholarship for the BGP course at Cranfield, and have found it hugely beneficial to my SME which is based in Central Bedfordshire Through guided analysis by the tutors and lecturers I have been able to identify areas of weakness to address, and potential areas for a growth, and I am hugely confident that the business plan the course has helped me to create will be the catalyst for an exciting period of growth.”

Aleks Bhowmick, Setter Limited


Livetec Systems logo“Attending and learning from the Cranfield BGP has been an incredible journey I had never set out to run a company, so when my business grew I suddenly needed to develop new skills and understanding outside my area of expertise If CBC had not provided the scholarship support, I would not have been motivated to take the time out of running the company to work on the company and build its strategic vision for the next five years, and the five after that.”

Julian Sparrey, Livetec Systems


Applications are now closed 
 

Essential Management

Essential Management provides the senior team with the key tools needed to effectively manage functional departments and resources within SMEs. While core management skills are universal, the context and challenges of an SME are very different from businesses in earlier or later stages of growth. Therefore, equipping managers with the skills and understanding of how they can truly impact the business in this stage is fundamental. During the programme, participants will identify opportunities and develop a commercially-driven business case that will contribute to the business strategy.

Applications are now closed 
 

Finance Fundamentals

Finance Fundamentals equips managers who have financial responsibilities with the key concepts and abilities required to manage finances at an SME level. The programme delivers an understanding of the key drivers of business value, how management decisions affect financial decisions and how to measure and impact business improvement.

Programme dates:

14th March 2022