We are accepting applications for Cultivate 3.0 – This is a six week virtual start up programme.
The Start Up
Due to an increased interest in the Cultivate Programme from start up businesses, we are extremely pleased to be offering a Cultivate – Start Up Programme.
The Cultivate Programme is fully funded and will run virtually over a six week period. With half day sessions as well as tailored mentoring support, it provides a structured and fast paced programme for businesses wishing bring their Agri-Food or Agri-Tech start up products, processes and services to the next stage in launching a successful, sustainable business. It is open to businesses from across the UK and is delivered by Harper Adams University, the UK’s leading agricultural university, supported by Barclays Eagle Labs. This programme focuses on supporting agri-tech and agri-food companies who are ready to take the next step in their start up business journey, by helping them focus on where to begin, where they are heading and where they want to be. Some of the core sessions include finance, business model canvas, vision & purpose ,sustainability and value proposition.
| November 2nd – 10.00h until 16.00h | Launch Mindset & Resilience Sustainability/Doughnut/Guiding Principles | Polly Gibb/Emma C Sarah Raad Polly Gibb/Emma C |
| November 9th – 10.00h until 16.00h | Inner Critic Barclays Introduction to ecosystem Lean Model Canvas workshop Intro to pitching goals | Barclays HAU |
| November 16th – 10.00h until 16.00h | Value Proposition Customer Workshops | Adopter |
| November 23rd – 10.00h until 16.00h | Finance, Funding & Revenue Funding – Guest Speaker | James Mahoney Jane Headley TBC |
| November 30th – 10.00h until 16.00h | Legal Business Plan | Potter Clarkson Mills & Reeve |
| December 7th – 10.00h until 16.00h | Pitch and Aspire Cohort Presentation | Tutors & Guests TBC |
The Cultivate Programme (pre-accelerator) will run in spring 2023 for a total of 10 weeks on a Wednesday. Commitment is 10h-16h every week.
This course gives a framework and the space in which companies can revisit and affirm their Vision for the business, and then thoroughly examine and adapt key aspects of the business in preparation for the next stage of growth and development. We aim to cultivate businesses fit to thrive in the 21st Century.
We build this course around the principles of three models: Triple Chasm, Business Model Canvas, Doughnut Economics. Cultivate is a 10-week programme. Weekly workshops are complemented with subject specific mentoring from week five.
Below is our Cultivate 2.0 pre-accelerator programme to give you an idea of the sessions and topics covered.
| WEEK | MORNING | AFTERNOON |
| One LAUNCH | Meet the mentors, meet the tutors and most importantly meet the businesses Guests: Tim Franklin (speaker) Mills and Reeve, Mentors Guest speaker Tim Franklin | Rebecca Payne – Cultivate programme! Doughnut economics, Business Model Canvas and Miro |
| Two Vision and Purpose | Vision, purpose and guiding principles Guest speaker = Gareth Davies – Yagro | Business Model Canvas (Cultivate version). |
| Three VP Canvas | VP canvas. Tutors Polly and Jessica Lozano-Leon | VP and VP canvas Talking to customers (Jessica Lozano-Leon) |
| Four Money, Money, Money | This week we take a detailed look at cost structures, revenues and how cash flows through your business. Tutor Jane Headley and Richard Heath | Guest speaker – OLIVER MCINTYRE Barclays, Guest speaker = Tom Warner, Warner’s Gin |
| Five EMS, Net Zero, Circular Economy | Environmental management and Net Zero The session is led by Andy Whyle FIEMA, who led the development of EMS at Ricoh 20 years ago, and now works with SMES across the UK to improve business performance while reducing environmental impact | Product Innovation for a circular economy Guest Tutor Andy Whyle, FIEMA |
| Six Go to Market Protecting Value Funding Growth | 9-10.30am Extra session for Agri-tech. Commercialisation workshop specifically targeted at agri-tech businesses Tutor Daria Batukhtina of Kubota Innovation Centre, Netherlands 11.00 am Hugo Christie Taylor Vinters IP Solicitors Intellectual property and how to protect value | 2pm Funding growth Guest Tutor: Dona Ardeman, Partner, Mills and Reeve Solicitors plus fund manager guest |
| Seven Embedding ESR Understanding your supply chain | Embedding ESR into your company structure Guest Tutor: Dona Ardeman, Partner, Mills and Reeve Solicitors | Understanding and managing your supply chain Supply Chains, manufacturing, upscaled production. Resilience, power relationships. Tutor Simon Thelwell |
| Eight Resilience ESR frameworks | Life Cycle Analysis Sustainability models Tutor Eric Siqueros Masterminding & Accountability | ESR frameworks Guest Speaker: Zoe Harrison – Butterbelle |
| Nine Leadership Pitching | Leadership, governance and structure Tutor Geoff Underwood, Polly Gibb Guest speaker = Professor Ken Sloan, Vice Chancellor Harper Adams University | Presentation and pitches Guest Tutor: Russell Copley, Greenborough Management Ltd |
| TEN | DEMO DAY – the first step on the journey ahead. | |
| ELEVEN | 1-1 s wrapping up handing on. |
We will confirm receipt of your application and then contact you in due course to arrange either a telephone or video conversation. The purpose of a follow on conversation is to learn more about you and your business and to tell you more about the Cultivate Programme.
Throughout the programme all beneficiary companies will have access to mentors to support them in their progress and development.
If you have any questions relating to the programme details please send us a message:
Cultivate: Business Support Programme 