Cavendish Enterprise launches first UK Enterprise Agency Crowd Funding Platform
Cavendish Enterprise launched Cavendish Crowd, its own crowd funding platform, this week in Whitehall following its Celebration of Enterprise held at the House of Lords.
Cavendish Crowd is the first crowd funding platform to be launched by a consortium of UK enterprise agencies.
In response to demand, for funding options as an alternative to bank loans which new businesses are finding more difficult to access, the Cavendish Crowd initiative aims to support small businesses who are starting up as well as small businesses looking to grow and expand.
Kevin Horne, Cavendish Enterprise Chairperson said of the platform, "In our continued efforts to provide innovative support to new and growing businesses, Cavendish Enterprise is pleased to offer a dedicated crowdfunding platform for our clients."
The platform is launched in partnership with Crowdfunder UK. Crowdfunder’s vast experience and huge success in the crowdfunding arena is matched by Cavendish's business support pedigree where each of the seven partners within Cavendish has over 30 years experience of supporting and growing small businesses.
Nick Underhill from Crowdfunder UK explained, "Crowdfunder is excited to be working on this unique partnership with Cavendish Enterprise, which is enabling a group of national business support agencies to help their clients with current and accessible alternative means of funding. Cavendish, with our support, are able to provide their huge client database with not just generic business advice but also support to access crowd funding through their own Cavendish platform."
The event featured two clients who launched their projects earlier this week on the Cavendish Crowd platform.
Change Please is a social enterprise, training the homeless to be baristas and to manage coffee carts. Developing Experts provides on line curriculum support tools for children to encourage and develop deep knowledge and skills through story telling.
Both have had the benefit of advice from two of the enterprise agencies within Cavendish Enterprise. Enterprise for London worked with Change Please, whilst Nwes, in the East of England, supported Developing Experts from Norwich.
Live pledges were made on the night for Change Please which will help them further their impressive VOOM campaign and for Developing Experts to start their Cavendish Crowd journey and support their business growth.
Cemal Ezel from Change Please said, "As a Start & Grow client Change Please has not only benefited from a hugely experienced Business Adviser but this has been linked to our crowd funding campaign. It is amazing to have this level of specialist support all delivered by one agency"
Sarah Mintey from Developing Experts added, "Working with Cavendish Enterprise has been a great experience. As a Start & Grow client I have been able to access top level business support. Being involved in the launch of the Cavendish Crowd crowd funding platform is such an amazing opportunity for Developing Experts and our primary schools science resource, as not only are we on the platform but we are being coached by the Cavendish Business Advisers on all aspects "
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Contact:
Davina Young, Marketing Manager, 01603 227862
www.cavendishenterprise.co.uk
Notes to editors:
Cavendish Enterprise:
Cavendish Enterprise is the trading name of Cavendish Consortium Ltd. The consortium is made up of six of the largest enterprise agencies across England, together with the National Enterprise Network. Its members are amongst the most prominent not-for-profit social enterprises in the country, each with over 30 years’ experience.
The partners are all longstanding members of the business support community and are respected for their independent and impartial advice and their impeccable probity. Cavendish Enterprise has a reputation for working in close partnership with a variety of organisations from the private, public and third sectors to achieve excellent results in business enterprise.
Not only is Cavendish Enterprise the first UK enterprise agency consortium to launch its own crowd funding platform, but it can also support new start up clients with 100 hours of business support ongoing for up to 3 years through the Start & Grow programme, supported by the Regional Growth Fund and delivered by the Cavendish partners across England.
The Regional Growth Fund:
The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) has supported eligible projects and programmes raising private sector investment to create economic growth and lasting employment. It has invested £2.85bn to help businesses in England to grow, and is expected to create or safeguard over 580,000 jobs.
Start & Grow:
Always use ‘&’ (not ‘and’) when writing Start & Grow.
www.cavendishenterprise.co.uk/programme/start-and-grow
https://www.cavendishenterprise.co.uk/government-launch-initiative-support-business-start/
The Start & Grow programme, designed by Cavendish Enterprise, is delivered by the Cavendish partners to startup and growing businesses across England. The support is tailored to start up businesses with expectations of high growth and job creation, and will continue for up to three years after the business starts trading. Start & Grow is supported by a government initiative under Round 6 of the Regional Growth Fund and is aimed at boosting the economy in less fortunate areas of the country through supporting new businesses bringing private investment and jobs to the region.
The programme is tailored to suit the business needs of new entrepreneurs offering up to 100 hours of support, advice and training in areas such as HR and employment, financial planning, and marketing.
Details of Change Please and Developing Experts:
www.changeplease.org
www.developingexperts.com