Creative Business Mentor Network: Year One

The Creative Business Mentor Network was set up to nurture creative businesses in the TV production, advertising and digital media sectors with an appetite for growth.

The Network allows creative companies to benefit from one-to-one mentoring by some of the most successful business people within the creative sector. Experienced mentors share practical advice on overcoming the challenges of growing a creative business. 

The Network was created and funded by NESTA and supported by PACT, the trade association for independent media companies, and business advisors Grant Thornton.

For the first year of the programme NESTA developed a successful model for supporting high growth creative companies through mentoring.  The strength of NESTA's network and its good relationships within the industry were crucial to the establishment of the programme. 

In its first year, the Network mentored 24 companies.  Three quarters of the participants felt that the programme created 'major benefits' in terms of improvement to the commercial performance of their business.  Return on investment to date is estimated at an £1.49 net additional GVA for every £1 invested. 

NESTA is running the programme for a second year across the entire Creative Media industry.