About the Create Growth Programme
Create Growth was a national programme, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in partnership with Innovate UK. Hertfordshire Futures secured this programme to support creative sector SMEs with high growth potential. Offering business support, including assistance for those looking to access grant funding and investment, the programme successfully supported 105 businesses between April 2024 and March 2026.
About the Create Growth Programme
Create Growth was a national programme, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in partnership with Innovate UK. Hertfordshire Futures secured this programme to support creative sector SMEs with high growth potential. Offering business support, including assistance for those looking to access grant funding and investment, the programme successfully supported 105 businesses between April 2024 and March 2026.
Delivery Partners
The Create Growth Programme in Hertfordshire was delivered through a partnership approach, with specialist expertise provided by Estu, the University of Hertfordshire, and Exemplas alongside Hertfordshire Futures and Hertfordshire Growth Hub.
Each partner brought sector-specific knowledge and capability, contributing to a comprehensive support offer spanning business growth, innovation, skills, and investment readiness.
What Hertfordshire Growth Hub Delivered
Hertfordshire Growth Hub delivered:
- - Business engagement and onboarding
- - Growth diagnostics and action planning
- - Investment readiness workshops and masterclasses
- - Grant clinics and DCMS competition application support
- - Bespoke one-to-one financial strategic advice
- - Signposting to national programmes, investors, and sector opportunities
Some elements of the wider Create Growth Programme were delivered by the other partners. This page focuses on HGH-delivered support only.
Supply Chain Innovation Programme
This intensive 8-week programme is delivered by Estu and the Royal College of Art, in association with industry influencers and Hertfordshire’s major studios. The programme supports business leaders looking to grow their presence within Hertfordshire's film and TV sector, teaching them how to innovate, increase sales and secure new commercial opportunities for their business. Three successful cohorts have graduated this programme, and their journey can be seen here. The next cohort is scheduled to start in January 2026.
New Product/Service Development Support (Optional)
Intensive 1-2-1 support from the University of Hertfordshire to help speed your development of high-value products or services as a means of achieving growth/scale. The University will provide tailored support to enable the launch your business's new product/service.
Investment Readiness Support (Optional)
The Investment Readiness support from Hertfordshire Growth provides fully funded and impartial support on all aspects of business finance – whether you are looking to raise finance now or in a few years time.
The support is delivered through a mix of expert led workshops and tailored one-to-one support with our SME Access to Finance Adviser. The team can help with everything from guiding you on how to prepare a business plan and financial forecasting to finding and applying for the right finance option for your business (e.g. grants, loans, equity, angel investment, crowdfunding, debt funding, asset finance). A suite of finance templates and resources are also available.
A Journey of Support
"The Create Growth Programme through the Hertfordshire Growth Hub has so many different touch points for businesses, from tools, advice, grants, support, and networks; it is highly valuable for your business, and I’d recommend that any Hertfordshire business applies.” - Martyn Niman, Owner of King Bee
Read Martyn's full story below.
