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Description

The High Growth Academy is an exciting programme of events, workshops and forums, brought to you by East Midlands Chamber in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, University of Derby and University of Nottingham. It is aimed at businesses in the EMCCA region.

Growth Forum
Join us at the High Growth Academy - Growth Forum: Driving Business Growth Through Innovation.

Innovation is the engine of growth, but scaling an innovative business comes with unique challenges. In this interactive forum, a panel of leading experts will share insights and practical strategies to help you overcome these hurdles and unlock your venture’s full potential.

Join us at Nottingham University Business School for a networking breakfast where you will engage with like-minded business people and experts in a relaxed environment. This forum will be focusing on innovation, funding, networking, and building strong business relationships that drive sustainable growth and open the door to new opportunities.

Overview

Who should attend?
This event is designed for business owners, CEOs, managing directors, senior managers, and strategic leaders from high-growth organisations based in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire.

What's covered:
• Professor David Park will discuss what he has learned from launching and scaling innovative ventures, raising investment, and supporting high-growth businesses through both academic and commercial channels. His perspective will help SMEs understand how to navigate innovation barriers and build the capabilities needed for sustainable growth.

• Lewis Stringer will speak from a finance and economic-development standpoint, drawing on his work with the British Business Bank and involvement in major regional funding programmes. He will discuss funding and finance challenges, understanding the funding landscape, accessing finance, and preparing a business for investments and what resources can be available to them.

• Veronica Pickering will discuss her partnership expertise. Veronica has been bringing together people and organisations with the aim of making a positive difference to the lives of people and communities in the UK and around the world. She has helped people and organisations to be more effective by assessing their needs, reviewing their progress and celebrating their achievements.

Outcome

Having Professor David Park, Lewis Stringer and Professor Veronica Pickering on the panel will bring tremendous value to SMEs attending the forum. Drawing on their extensive experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, and business finance, networking, and the importance of building partnerships they will share practical insights grounded in real-world challenges and successes.

Together, they will give SMEs the chance to hear first-hand what works, what doesn’t, and how to make informed strategic decisions helping business leaders move forward with confidence.

You’ll also have the opportunity to network with peers, exchange ideas, and explore how these approaches can be applied within your own organisation. Don’t miss this chance to gain practical insights and expand your professional network in an inspiring, collaborative environment.

Additional Information

Speaker Profiles:
Professor David Park (Dean of Nottingham University Business School
David will be talking about innovation, entrepreneurship, the role the university has with SMEs in terms of support, whether that be company challenges, placements, consultation, guidance.

Lewis Stringer (British Business Bank)
Lewis will talk about Investments, raising money, finance support for SMEs.
Lewis is a Senior Manager in the British Business Bank’s UK Network Team, covering the East and South-East Midlands. He supports demand-side initiatives, as well as the recently launched £400m Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) II. Previously he was their MEIF Senior Relationship Manager and worked on their high-profile Covid-19 response initiatives.
He has over 25 years’ experience in economic development, including two years at Capital for Enterprise Limited (the Bank’s predecessor), ten years at the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA), and five years at Nottingham City Council.

Professor Veronica Pickering (Lord-Lieutenant Nottinghamshire)
Veronica is a social entrepreneur, a former UK Social Worker and Children’s Guardian. She was also an International Child Protection Consultant for the UN and many NGOs across Africa, supporting vulnerable people and their families. In 2022, she was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S) for service to Kenya by the President. She now works as an Executive Coach and partnership specialist with several organisations across the UK.

Eligibility:

This forum is open to eligible high growth businesses located in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire that can demonstrate 20% annual growth in revenue, employment, or market share over the past three consecutive years.

You must be registered on the High Growth Accelerator project.

Receipt of this support is subject to the Subsidy Control Act (2022). To qualify an enterprise cannot have received more than £315,000 Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) and or De Minimis within any three-year period.

The project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

This event is available for: Eligible SMEs

29th January 2026

8:30am - 11:00am

In-Person

University of Nottingham - Jubilee Campus, Nottingham, NG7 2GX

This is a funded event and will be subject to eligibility questions during the checkout process to ensure you match the required criteria.

Members must Sign in / Register to purchase member only tickets

In stock

*All our business prices are excluding VAT at 20%.

For further information on this event, please contact Hannah Kerridge on 07741 163242 or email hannah.kerridge@emc-dnl.co.uk

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