Eight creative and digital businesses took to the stage on 17th December for Pitch to Propel, a Create Growth N2 (CGN2) event giving early‑stage founders the chance to win £5,000 or £2,000 to power their marketing and build real market traction.
Early‑stage businesses often invest heavily in development but struggle to fund that crucial first marketing push. Pitch to Propel was designed to change that – giving founders the momentum they need to demonstrate traction and attract future investment.
Janusz Stabik, Managing Partner at Gyda and one of the judges at the event, said: “It was an absolute pleasure to judge Pitch to Propel. Pitching helps you hone your message, build confidence, and learn from how others approach it.
“The strength of the entrants was incredible – every idea had real merit, which made choosing the winners genuinely difficult. imageRelease had a clear idea, a solid plan and a believable route to market. They stood out with a sharply defined target audience and a tool that solves a specific, time‑consuming problem. You could instantly see the value for their market.
“Project Inc, impressed us in the same way – tackling a major challenge with real social impact. Two very worthy winners and a great experience all round.”
imageRelease secured the £5,000 prize with a platform that makes image permissions and releases simple, secure, GDPR compliant and accessible.
After years of watching creative projects stall and businesses take risks due to missing releases, Jim Dawson and co-founder Alan built a tool that removes the pain, protects data and gives creatives and marketeers the ability to use content with confidence.
“We were incredibly excited to be shortlisted as finalists in the Pitch to Propel competition. Sitting and watching the other businesses present their pitches, we felt proud to be part of such a talented group of creative and digital innovators from across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, but also nervous, as the standard was extremely high,” said Jim.
“When imageRelease was announced as the winner, I was genuinely blown away. We’d put a huge amount of work into our pitch, so it was amazing to have that recognised. More importantly, the prize will have a real impact on our ability to take the business to the next stage, supporting our marketing efforts and helping us accelerate our growth.
“Opportunities like Pitch to Propel are so important for innovative startups like ours. We’ve put in a huge amount of work over the last year, and being part of the competition gave us real confidence that we’re on the right track. But hard work only gets you so far, sometimes you need investment and support to help you grow, learn and reach more people.”
Jim Dawson, imageRelease
Alex Crabtree and Katie Sutton, Project Inc.
Project Inc was awarded the £2,000 prize. Project Inc is a structured, repeatable programme that connects under-resourced, purpose-led organisations with emerging creative talent to deliver strategy-led brand and communications work that strengthens awareness, credibility and fundraising.
Built on senior oversight and proven agency systems, it reduces risk for clients while creating paid, real-world commercial experience for emerging creatives. Long-term, the ambition is to codify and licence the model more widely, bridging the gap between education and industry at scale.
Katie Sutton, Director at Project Inc, said: “Despite the nerves, the Pitch to Propel event hosted by NTU Business School was a turning point for us. Coming second was a huge boost, but more importantly, it gave us clarity and conviction in the direction we’re heading.
“It was absolutely worth pushing ourselves, the experience and feedback strengthened our confidence and opened doors we wouldn’t have accessed otherwise.”
The Pitch to Propel benefits continued as the participating businesses showcased their work at the Big Creative UK Investment Summit in London on 17 February 2026, delivering polished presentations all round.
The CGN2 programme has celebrated a standout year of support for Nottinghamshire’s creative, digital and creative technology sectors. Across the course of the programme, CGN2 has:
- Helped participating local businesses secure over £1.3 million in funding
- 246 businesses engaged with the programme
- 104 workshops delivered covering 49 unique subjects
- 282 individual advice sessions delivered
Nottinghamshire founders can access a wealth of support across the county through the Business Support Map and Events page at creategrowthn2.co.uk for free workshops, networking and business growth opportunities.