Global Scale-up programme helps ambitious Greater Manchester businesses to enter 74 new markets

An international programme has supported 80 Greater Manchester businesses to expand to 74 new markets since 2019, creating dozens of new jobs, say The Growth Company (GC).

Scaling businesses who took part in the first three cohorts of its Global Scale-up programme have also created 80 jobs, generated an additional £59m in revenue and raised £31m in funds.

Now 11 new businesses are setting their sights on global success as the fourth 12-month programme gets underway.

Global Scale-up is designed to help firms across the city region expand into international markets.

Delivered by GC Business Growth Hub with the support of partners KPMG, DWF, Santander, Manchester Airport and the Department for International Trade, firms benefit from tailored coaching, access to a global market entry network alongside international growth sprints and bootcamps.

This year’s cohort has a strong US focus. In October, firms will also join a series of virtual in-market sessions in Australia delivered in partnership with their private sector counterparts.

In November, delegates will join the ‘Silicon Valley Comes to the UK’ summit, which brings together the global tech community. Organised by London and Partners, the collaboration follows the joint successful REACH mission held with GC in June.

Among the businesses thriving thanks to the Scale-up programme is Inovus Medical, a designer and maker of medical and surgical simulators, which is opening an office for their development team in Manchester.

It supplies more than 70 per cent of all NHS trusts and since attending the programme, the business has committed to a US expansion.

Inovus Medical is participating in a virtual trade mission to Tampa Bay and will soon be spending six weeks on the ground in Florida and Texas, where GC will also be introducing the business to leading healthcare leaders.

Managing Director of Inovus Medical, Elliot Street, said: “Global Scale-up has added real value to our USA focused internationalisation plans, connecting us with a wide variety of on the ground contacts that will help the next phase of growth for the business.

“What stands the Global Scale-up programme apart from other similar programmes is the highly flexible nature of the support. This has allowed us to receive some bespoke high value support that is already paying dividends.”

Global Scale-up Project Manager, Anna Carson-Parker, said: “It has been brilliant to see how businesses on the Global Scale-up programme have grown and expanded to overseas markets, despite challenges like the pandemic and Brexit.

“Expanding internationally is vital for any business looking to grow, but often the biggest barriers are knowing where to start and understanding what opportunities there are – this is where we come in.

“We have a range of world-class partners with global networks to provide SME business leaders with the support they need to scale up. I look forward to seeing these 11 new businesses embark on their transformational journeys and realising their international expansion plans.”

Social Chain, a young company with big ambitions in the social commerce sphere, is on the fourth cohort.

The firm is creating a new ecosystem for customers and brands, combining their media publishing brands with an e-commerce offering.

E-Commerce Director from Social Chain, Anna Graham, said: “With over 15 million followers globally across our hero brands GameByte, Sporf and The Life Network, internationalisation is definitely on the top of our list and it’s imperative we are able to deliver products to our audience worldwide.

“We think Global Scale-up with its extensive network of global partners and tailored programme is the perfect partner to support us in achieving our international goals.”

Any business that is ambitious and showing 20 per cent year on year growth can register their interest in future cohorts at www.businessgrowthhub.com/global-scale-up-programme.