David Dixon, digitalisation for growth manager at DigitalCity.

Teesside University’s DigitalCity supports growth of local digital and tech businesses

DigitalCity is launching its annual SCALE Programme next month (February) to support mature digital and tech companies to grow their business.

Applications are being invited for the DigitalCity SCALE programme funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

SCALE is aimed at mature digital and tech businesses who have been trading for around two to three years and who are undergoing or planning a growth period, which could include developing a new product or service, exporting internationally, or taking on debt or investment.

Each week participants will hear from “inspirational” business leaders who have been on their own entrepreneurial journey, sharing their insights and experience, their successes and failures, and the lessons they learned along the way.

Participants are also supported by a dedicated business mentor to formulate a bespoke action plan and ensure their aspirations are turned into reality. DigitalCity runs one SCALE programme each year with the next SCALE Programme beginning in February 2023.

Topics will include:

Design thinking: customer journey mapping, experimentation and collaboration-based culture
Service blueprinting & IP: value proposition, lean start-up principals and implementing innovations without risk
Leadership and management: importance of values and culture, a leader’s future vision, communication and the art of delegation
Strategy: best practices for competitor differentiation, importance of tools, goal setting, customer promises and communicating your strategy
Sales and marketing: identifying customer base and how this links to profitability and targets
Execution: exploring measurements and the role of governance, meeting rhythms and KPIs
Cash finance: exploring critical topic of cash and different cash options.

Former SCALE participant Trevor Platt, from Billingham based software solutions company Nicander, commented: “Since participating in SCALE, we’ve had our most successful years so far. We’re doing all the things DigitalCity encouraged and taught us to do, like doubling the size of the team, alongside two internal promotions.

“We have a much clearer business plan and we have implemented an improved commercial business structure and have a more detailed understanding of our technical and financial performance.”

David Dixon, digitalisation for growth manager at DigitalCity, added: “If you know that there is much more opportunity for your business to exploit, but you are struggling with how to achieve balancing the day-to-day running of a business while planning for tomorrow, then DigitalCity SCALE is the perfect place for you.

“We will provide you with the tools, the mentors and the challenge to help you catapult your business to success.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily