Central Working launches ‘next generation’ of scaleup support for high-growth enterprises

London-headquartered workspace business Central Working is launching a new support programme to equip entrepreneurs with the tools and guidance required to turn their startups into scaleups.

The Central Working Academy will provide data-driven, long-term scaling strategies for the senior teams behind established, high-growth startup companies.

It’s a resource normally only available to large, mature businesses, according to Central Working.

But research from the Scaleup Institute has found that, for UK startups, developing leadership and management skills is a top-three priority for achieving growth.

The inaugural 12-month programme will pilot at Central Working’s £20m deep tech hub The Bradfield Centre in Cambridge, before a UK-wide rollout.

It will launch in partnership with Trinity College Cambridge, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and advisory firm Cartezia.

The pilot will use Cartezia’s purpose-built online platform, which analyses and diagnoses a company’s maturity to assess factors such as current tech development, access to funding and customer profiling. It will then use the information generated to outline how far the startup can scale over the next 12 months and provide step-by-step advice on how to hit that goal.

Central Working will match the data-driven advice with intensive mentor and coaching sessions over a six-week period.

James Parton, MD of Central Working’s Bradfield Centre, said: “The traditional intervention support model relies heavily on the advice of mentors and coaches, and while this is clearly still relevant, it’s an analogue solution in a digital world.

“The Central Working Academy heralds the next generation of ’intervention support, providing a programme rooted in research and experience and powered by an advanced data-driven online platform.”

He added: “Central Working has always provided a nurturing environment for business growth and this is the next iteration of our offer, guiding management teams towards the specific actions they need to take to scale at a rapid rate.”

Cartezia chief exec Uday Phadke commented: “Cartezia’s platform provides a unique, integrated collaboration and learning environment for growth businesses based on the detailed research, tools and insights described in The Scale-up Manual, which was published to rave reviews in 2018.

“The Academy integrates a data-driven platform, experienced coaches and mentors, and structured access to scale-up eco-systems.”

Uday added: “The effectiveness of the scaleup academy depends on working with a strategic partner who can provide the right environment and access to the local ecosystem including potential partners, suppliers and investors, and Cartezia is delighted to work with Central Working to achieve this.”

Applications for a place on the inaugural scaleup academy will close on February 15, with successful applicants due to notified by February 18.