Tech companies across Gloucestershire have the opportunity to secure thousands of pounds in funding and investment in 2025, as the south west's only specialist tech accelerator programme is open for applications.
Growth Forge helped businesses across the south west secure around £2 million in funding in 2024, with £1.6 million in investment and £300,000 in grants, helping them improve performance by up to 27 per cent across metrics including financial resilience, talent strategy and marketing.
Delivered by Tech South West and partners including Microsoft, Bishop Fleming, Future Space and British Business Bank, Growth Forge is open to tech companies across all specialisms and stages, from start-ups and scale-ups to established firms.
Applicants go through an in-built profiling mechanism which provides a comprehensive profile of each company's strengths, pinch points and areas of improvement, to ensure they are matched to the expertise, opportunities and support they need to achieve their individual goals.
Data underpins the support across the programme, which involves everything from one-to-one mentoring and partner workshops to digital learning resources and online networking.
Alongside its core programme, which is open to all tech businesses in the south west region, new for this year there are specialist growth tracks in AI, marine and clean technology, too, offering specialist workshops and support from sector-specific partners.
Director of Tech South West, Dan Pritchard, said: 'The south west tech sector is burgeoning with high-potential tech firms. For those that make it on to the programme, Growth Forge gives them targeted specialist support and investment opportunities, accelerating and enhancing their growth journey.
'Data modelling ensures a truly bespoke approach based on each company’s specific growth priorities, which is why Growth Forge 2025 can propel ambitious companies forward whether they are at pre-seed, scaling, or established stage.'
Applications for Growth Forge 2025 are open now and cost from £50 per month with a minimum three-month commitment.
