Edge Hill University: High Growth Innovation Sprint Programme

Edge Hill University's High Growth Innovation Sprint Programme: Accelerating Scaleup Success

The High Growth Innovation Sprint Programme, a flagship offering from Edge Hill University's SME Productivity & Innovation Centre (PIC), is a pivotal resource for scaling companies in the Lancashire and Liverpool City region. Established in 2017, the PIC is dedicated to unlocking the growth potential of early-stage and scaling businesses, focusing on locally defined priority sectors.

Programme Features and Support:

• Three-Month Fully Funded Programme: Designed to help scaleups overcome growth barriers, focusing on strategic development.
• Comprehensive Scaleup Support: Includes scaleup strategy development, intensive online workshops, and one-on-one support from academics and business experts.
• Innovation and Market Penetration: Central to the programme is developing strategies for domestic and international market access, leveraging market research and data-driven decision-making.

Tailored Growth Strategies:

• Focus on Leadership and Workforce Capacity: Aims to enhance strategic growth plans, particularly in leadership development and workforce expansion.
• Market and Product Development Support: Assists in crafting market penetration plans and workforce strategies tailored to each business’s specific growth trajectory.

Collaboration and Follow-on Opportunities:

• University Engagement: Offers opportunities for collaboration with the University, its students, and the SME network.
• Access to Finance and Funding: Guides participants towards financial investment products and specialist finance organizations in the region.

Impact and Achievements:

• Substantial Business Growth: Since 2017, the programme has supported 240 high-growth potential businesses, contributing to the creation of 517 new jobs.
• Notable Business Improvements: Participants have reported significant improvements in resource allocation, innovation management, and market penetration strategies.
• Product and Service Innovations: Businesses have developed numerous new-to-firm and new-to-market products and services.
• Independent Evaluation Results: Recent evaluation shows participants typically achieve significant profitability improvements and a high return on public investment.

Additional Support Programmes:

• Skills for Growth: Provides access to student and graduate talent.
• Leadership for Growth: Offers leadership and management training.
• Innovation Adoption Accelerator: Focuses on technology investment support.

Endorsed by the ScaleUp Institute in 2023, Edge Hill University's High Growth Innovation Sprint Programme exemplifies the significant role universities can play as anchor institutions in the scaleup ecosystem, providing local expertise, academic and graduate talent, and tailored support to drive scaleup success.