This initiative aims to empower business owners outside London by providing vital financial and strategic support to those demonstrating a purpose beyond profit.
The programme invites ten applicants to pitch their business ideas in a Dragons’ Den-style event during Global Entrepreneurship Week (18-25 November). To qualify, applicants must come from less advantaged backgrounds and have an existing business of 2-3 years that embodies a commitment to societal impact alongside commercial success.
Following the pitch event in Manchester, a panel of local entrepreneurial talent will shortlist four candidates, from which Havas Boost’s board will select the ultimate winner. The decision to base the programme in Manchester was driven by insights from a YouGov business survey, which found that 40% of less advantaged under-35s in the North West feel there are limited opportunities for starting a business, compared to just 19% in London.
The 2024 Havas Boost programme is supported by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the Media Trust, and awareness will be raised through a dedicated advertising campaign across Manchester.
For more information and to apply, visit Havas Boost.
Jamie Young
Jamie Young is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, covering SME finance, employment law and Westminster policy since 2016. He has reported on every Budget and Autumn Statement since 2018, helped make sense of the 'covid era' and the bounce-back loan scheme from launch through the fraud investigations, and broke the magazine's coverage of the 2024 late-payment reforms. He joined Business Matters straight from completing his BA in Administration from Exeter University and is NCTJ-qualified. Reach him at jyoung@cbmeg.co.uk
