Celebrating Nottinghamshire’s creative and digital talent
Create Growth N2 was built on a simple belief: that Nottinghamshire’s creative and digital businesses are some of the boldest, most imaginative and most resilient in the UK — and they deserve support that helps them grow with confidence.
From day one, our mission was rooted in place. In Nottinghamshire’s rebel spirit. In the ideas, talent and ambition that set our county apart.
After two successful years of CGN2, we’re celebrating the achievements of our founders, makers and innovators the people who prove every day that Nottinghamshire is a powerhouse of creativity.
Programme Outcomes
With CGN2’s support, hundreds of businesses developed new skills, strengthened their foundations, built meaningful networks and unlocked opportunities once out of reach including six immersive technology cohorts, eight business growth cohorts and over a hundred workshops covering everything from investment readiness to immersive technology.
businesses supported across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
workshops delivered across 49 unique subjects
Immersive cohorts delivered to 51 businesses by the VIP studio
Individual advice sessions delivered throughout the programme
Growth cohorts delivered Nottingham Business School
in funding secured by programme participants
Begin Your Growth Journey
Through our Business Support Map, you can explore organisations supporting founders across every Nottinghamshire district — from Ashfield to Rushcliffe, Mansfield to Bassetlaw ensuring creativity and innovation thrive across the whole region.
Though the programme has ended, support continues
Nottinghamshire’s creative and digital energy isn’t slowing down. The organisations that championed this programme continue to offer specialist business support, sector-specific advice and skills-building opportunities across the region.
If you’re still looking for business support, these are the right people to contact:
VIP Studio,
University of Nottingham [email protected]
www.nottingham.ac.uk
Innovate UK
www.ukri.org
Nottingham Business School,
Nottingham Trent University
[email protected][email protected]
www.ntu.ac.uk/nbs
British Business Bank
[email protected]
www.british-business-bank.co.uk
Read the stories behind the numbers
The real impact of CGN2 lives in the founders whose ideas, confidence and opportunities have been transformed.
“CGN2 gave me new skills in video production that I’ve already applied in a short film, enhancing Tri-Dosha’s brand storytelling and supporting my application for the Women in Innovation Grant.”
“What I found great about CGN2 is how broad and flexible and tailored the support is. Personally, CGN2 helped us to push our immersive environments forward, refine our investor-facing materials – like pitch deck videos – and grow through business development opportunities.“
“It was through the CGN2 programme that we gained a deeper understanding of the business landscape, learned how to secure investment in the immersive technology industry, and built valuable business relationships.“
“The programme covered everything from creating cash flow projections to practising pitches. As a small business owner, I wear many hats — from sales and marketing to product development — so learning about all areas of running a business, getting practical tools and reviewing real-world scenarios has been invaluable.”
“The CGN2 experience helped us to be more ambitious — to see how we could scale up and innovate our business. One of the things we’re really hoping to do is develop hybrid forms of tabletop play — and we’re exploring ways to connect players sitting around a physical table with others online, using interactive screens and immersive tech to create a shared experience, which is really exciting.”
“I was curious about CGN2. I thought, well, what is all this about? I’m not very digitally inclined, so I wanted to know more about what immersive technologies are. I loved meeting the cohort and seeing how some of the tools could be used to bring other dimensions alive.”
What comes next?
The platforms, audiences and brand infrastructure built during this programme are ready for whatever follows. The CGN2 website success stories and interactive business support map remain live and to tell our story so far.
Opportunities for business support and funding are still available across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Email us and we’ll point you in the right direction: [email protected]