East Midlands businesses awarded Create Growth grants worth up to £30k each

The first group of successful Create Growth grant applicants has been announced – with up to £400,000 of funding now heading to the East Midlands.

Fourteen grants, each worth between £10,000 and £30,000, have been awarded to creative businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire, Derby and Derbyshire, Rutland, Lincoln and Greater Lincolnshire.

The successful applicants to the Innovate UK-funded scheme were revealed as Government announced new plans to maximise the potential of the UK creative industries and grow the economy.

Recipients of funding include fashion firms, gaming tech companies and businesses in the music, design, production and video sectors.

The Athlete Place, based at LUinc. on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park, is an online platform providing guidance and support for parents of aspiring young athletes.

Founder Joe Fuggle said: “We are thrilled to be among the first beneficiaries of Create Growth funding.

“By receiving support, we will be able to enhance the production value of our content and education through collaboration with experienced professionals in the creative industry.

“It’s a massive opportunity to explore previously out-of-reach projects and improve our investment readiness and is very exciting.”

The fourteen successful funding applicants were:

• Gumbo, Leicestershire
• Th!nk FC, Leicestershire
• Super Hyper Instant Future Time, Derbyshire
• Future Proof Creative, Derby
• Floop Group, Lincolnshire
• Graphic Workman, Derbyshire
• Rubitek Solutions, Leicestershire
• Biomatics, Lincoln
• The Athlete Place, Leicestershire
• Lyndon Media, Leicestershire
• Cocoa Amore, Leicester
• Haarlem, Derbyshire
• Derby Swap Shop, Derby
• Apnakey, Leicester

The Creative Industries Sector Vision, published by Government last week, aims to grow the creative industries by £50 billion by 2030, create one million extra jobs, and deliver a creative careers promise that builds a pipeline of future talent.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “This Sector Vision is about driving innovation, attracting investment, and building on the clusters of creativity across the country.”

Elsewhere, as part of the wider Create Growth agenda, the East Midlands Creative Consortium (EMC²) is recruiting to a separate programme supporting businesses operating in the creative sector.

EMC² is among the first six regions to run the scheme, which will offer bespoke development packages which increase business skills and help businesses get better prepared to capitalise on future finance options as they become available.

It runs across Leicester and Leicestershire, Rutland, Lincoln and Greater Lincolnshire, Derby and Derbyshire, with the first cohort starting in September.

The free programme of support will ultimately work with 100 regional businesses to help them accelerate business growth, create jobs, and prepare for investment.

Pictures shows Joe Fuggle, founder of The Athlete Place. Copyright: The Athlete Place