In-depth Dorset knowledge
Financing, Funding and Futures in Dorset
Financing, Funding & Futures course
I annually have the pleasure of sharing in-depth Dorset knowledge with local post-graduate students. I provide a ‘Financing, Funding and Futures’ workshop to several Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) residents of the AUB Innovation Studio.
The AUB Innovation Studio operates as a lab for creative technologies. It offers a nucleus for start-ups and regional enterprises, and is a hub for industry engagement. With its focus on collaboration, entrepreneurship, research, and prototyping, it equips students with real business skills.
In return, AUB offers support back to Dorset small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, sole traders and social enterprises through:
- Access to AUB’s world-class facilities, which include SLS 3D printing, CNC routing, 3 and 5 axis CNC milling for prototyping and testing.
- Access to the AUB’s creative innovation specialists, with their professional and technical wealth of knowledge
- Associate membership for local business to test concepts and develop prototypes
- ‘Make-It’ workshops created as highly practical one-day workshops to support design-led research and prototyping needs for industry. These workshops are delivered by AUB 3D designers to help demystify the terminology around digital fabrication and show the steps required to undertake your own prototyping project.
My workshop session is all about the Dorset financing and funding environment, helping the students understand:
The Dorset Economy
What does it look like here and what sector support is available
Finance in Dorset
This is all about what financial support is available for various stages of development. Within this I explain everything from grants to loans, crowdfunding to angel investment
Dorset’s movers and shakers
Who are the local people and organisations of influence in the business world. Including where to go to get key news and insight to help grow their organisation
Opportunities in the BCP and Dorset Council areas
This is all about how to plug into tender and contract opportunities. Also how to join the networks and newsletters that are really helpful and will help expand their business opportunities
Dorset Futures
I show what financing, funding and future opportunities and risks are coming over the horizon. Then I teach them how to take advantage of these opportunities.
Dorset is losing home-grown talent after graduation. According to the Southern Policy Centre’s ‘Retaining Graduates’ 2019 report, only 16% of students domiciled in Dorset stay in Dorset. Therefore, we must do everything to help support those graduates who want to stay and grow their business in the Dorset area.
If you want to know which helpful business support organisations exist in Dorset, then head over to ‘Dorset Support Organisations’.
If you want any particular in-depth Dorset knowledge, or to know what Dorset funding and financial support is available, then please get in touch. Or sign up to my newsletter below for regular information.
