Businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire with a track record of at least 20% annual growth over the past three years can access a new programme providing tailored academic and business support alongside funding opportunities.
East Midlands Chamber delivers the High Growth Academy on behalf of the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) in partnership with the University of Derby, University of Nottingham, and Nottingham Trent University. It forms part of the High Growth Accelerator project, funded with £450,352 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The programme includes workshops designed for different growth stages. Early-stage businesses can attend sessions on sales, leadership, and emerging markets, while established firms can focus on governance, organisational structure, and performance management. Monthly High Growth forums offer access to industry experts and peer networking, with the first event scheduled for 6 November covering strategy, systems, and scaling operations while maintaining a human-centred approach.
Additional support options include one-to-one guidance from High Growth Advisers, innovation vouchers of up to £5,000 for specialist university support, student placement funding of up to £2,000 for eight-week internships, and training bursaries of up to £2,000 to attend the Chamber’s Commercial Training courses.
