Help to Grow: Management

A Blue Factory initiative | ESCP's European startup incubator

Help to Grow: Management

A 12-week leadership programme for UK SME leaders

Next Cohort Starts: January 6th, 2027

Develop the strategic capabilities to scale your business with expert-led training, peer learning, and personalised mentoring — all delivered by ESCP Business School in North-West London

Apply Now Book a 15-minute call

About the programme

About the Programme

A government-backed leadership development programme designed specifically for UK SME leaders

What You'll Experience

The Help to Grow: Management Course is a government-backed programme developed by the Small Business Charter and delivered by accredited business schools across the UK. At ESCP, we bring world-class academic expertise and an unparalleled international network to help you grow your business.

Designed for senior leaders of small and medium-sized enterprises, this 12-week course combines practical management training, peer learning, and 1-to-1 mentoring — all built around your own business growth challenges.

Programme Structure

50 hours of leadership training
Expert-led sessions covering strategy, marketing, finance, and operations
10 hours of 1-to-1 voluntary mentoring
Personalised guidance from experienced business leaders
8 hours of structured peer group sessions
Collaborative learning with fellow SME leaders
Hybrid learning — online and in-person sessions
Flexible blend of virtual and face-to-face delivery at ESCP London
Delivered at ESCP's London campus
Prime Central London location with world-class facilities

Programme Impact

93%

would recommend to peers

87%

of SME owners say they need more support to grow

50+

Business schools in the UK delivering Help to Grow

1000s

of SMEs already transformed since 2021

Source: Evaluation of Help to Grow: Management business – Department for Business and Trade

A Blue Factory initiative

Help to Grow: Management is run by Blue Factory London. Blue Factory is ESCP Business School's European incubator. Founded in the early 2000s by ESCP graduates, it supports entrepreneurs at every stage, from first idea to international expansion, across five campuses: London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin and Turin. You benefit from the same entrepreneurial expertise and European network.

campuses

300+

entrepreneurs in the SCALE community

Founded in the early 2000s

by ESCP graduates

Why Apply for Help to Grow: Management?

Six compelling reasons to invest in your leadership development

Practical & Actionable

Not just theory: You will build a real Growth Action Plan for your business from day one, applying each module directly to your own challenges.

Government Funded

The course is 90% funded by the UK Government — you pay just £750 per participant. Bursaries and scholarships may be available.

Expert-Led at ESCP

Taught by ESCP's world-class faculty with deep expertise in strategy, marketing, finance, leadership, and innovation.

Peer-Learning Network

Join a cohort of like-minded SME leaders. Share challenges, exchange ideas, and build a professional network that lasts beyond the programme.

1-to-1 Mentoring

Personalised guidance at every stage of your growth journey via 10 hours of voluntary mentoring from experienced business leaders.

ESCP Ecosystem

As an ESCP programme participant, gain access to internship opportunities, custom consulting projects, and ESCP's international alumni network.

Check Your Eligibility

Businesses We've Supported

Hugging Face

AI & Machine Learning

Leading AI company revolutionizing natural language processing and open-source ML tools. Through the Help to Grow programme, their leadership team developed strategic frameworks to scale their innovative platform globally.

Featured Case Study

Shop Circle

E-commerce Technology

Building essential apps and tools that power thousands of online stores globally.

Giggling Squid

Hospitality & Dining

Award-winning Thai restaurant group bringing authentic flavours and hospitality to communities across the UK.

Meet Your Instructors

ESCP's faculty and business practitioners bring real-world experience and academic rigour to every session.

Marie Taillard

Dean, ESCP London Campus | L'Oréal Professor of Creativity Marketing

Professor Marie Taillard leads ESCP's London Campus and is a recognised expert in creativity and marketing. A member of the ESCP faculty since 2007, she helped launch the school's flagship MSc in Marketing & Creativity and has built her career on connecting academic research with real business practice. Her research explores how brands and consumers create value together, and she is the author of a recent book on consumer creativity. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a PhD from the University of London.

Profile →

Davide Sola

Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, ESCP | Former Director, ESCP London Campus

Professor Davide Sola helps founders and leaders turn good ideas into scalable businesses. He chairs ESCP's entrepreneurship programmes in London and focuses his research on scale-ups, the fast growth phase where most companies are won or lost. Before joining ESCP full time, he worked at McKinsey & Company, and he has more than 20 years of strategy consulting experience across healthcare, energy, technology and financial services. He is the author of How to Think Strategically, published by the Financial Times and nominated for the Chartered Management Institute's Management Book of the Year.

Profile →

Dan Wardle

Founder, The Founder Sales Club | Sales Coach, Harvard Business School

Dan Wardle helps founders learn to sell, because if you can't sell, you can't grow. A former teacher and enterprise sales rep, he has closed deals from seed stage to unicorn and built award-winning sales training programmes. He founded The Founder Sales Club, where he coaches CEOs, CROs and VPs at every stage of growth through hands-on workshops and 1:1 coaching, and he also works as a sales coach at Harvard Business School. Founders praise his practical, energetic approach to making sales a skill that is genuinely fun to master.

Ashley Bartley

Chief People Officer, Checkatrade

Ashley Bartley leads people strategy at Checkatrade, the UK's largest trade platform, connecting homeowners with vetted tradespeople. She is known for putting AI at the heart of how a company hires, develops and recognises its people, from performance management to company-wide hackathons. Before Checkatrade, she spent several years at WeWork, rising to Head of People Partners, International, where she led change programmes and advised senior leaders on talent. Earlier in her career she held HR roles at Booking.com, JT Group and Saville Assessment, and she holds an MSc in Human Resource Management from Cardiff University.

The 12-Week Curriculum

A comprehensive leadership development journey designed specifically for SME growth

12 Modules

12 Weeks

50 Hours of Training

1 Session Per Week

Strategy & Innovation

Take a strategic view of your business, apply tools such as the Business Model Canvas and SWOT, and define your value proposition.

Digital Transformation

Use technology and AI to improve your business model, lead digital change and build a cyber security action plan.

Winning New Markets

Case study workshop on how a real UK business created customer value and entered new markets.

Vision, Mission & Values

Define your purpose and values, connect them to culture and employee engagement, and draft your vision statement.

Developing a Marketing Strategy

Segment your customers, choose your target market and position your offer using a practical marketing framework.

Building a Brand

Case study workshop on how a UK brand used its identity and values to stand out and grow.

Organisational Design

Structure your team for growth, understand how organisations change as they scale, and support team wellbeing.

Employee Engagement & Leading Change

Lead change with proven models, bring your people with you and build an engaged workforce.

High Performance Workplace

Case study workshop on how a UK business reshaped itself for growth while increasing employee engagement.

Effective Operations

Understand where operations add value, find root causes of problems and improve processes, including sustainable practices.

Finance & Financial Management

Read your financial statements with confidence, manage cash flow, use key ratios and explore external finance.

Implementing Growth Plans

Final case study workshop on how a UK business planned and delivered growth, ending with your finished Growth Action Plan.

Are You Eligible?

✓ You ARE eligible if:

✓You work for a UK-based business or social enterprise

✓Your business employs between 5 and 249 people

✓Your business has been trading for more than 1 year

✓You are a senior decision-maker with at least one direct report (e.g. CEO, MD, Finance Director, Operations Director)

✓Your organisation is not a charity or public sector body

✗ You are NOT eligible if:

✗Your organisation is a charity or not-for-profit

✗Your business has fewer than 5 employees

✗Your business is based outside the UK

✗You are not in a senior leadership role with direct reports

✗Your business is less than 1 year old

Businesses with 10 or more employees may send up to 2 participants

For example, the CEO and CTO, or the CEO and CFO.

Not sure if you qualify? Get in touch:

helptogrow@escp.eu

Coursee costs

Course Costs

£750

per participant

90% Government Funded

What is included:

Full 12-module programme (50 hours of expert-led training)
All course materials
10 hours of voluntary 1-to-1 mentoring
Peer group learning sessions
Growth Action Plan support throughout
Access to the national HtGM Alumni Network
Certificate of completion

Apply Now — Secure Your Place

ESCP is committed to widening access to the Help to Grow: Management Course. A limited number of bursaries are available. To find out more, please contact us at helptogrow@escp.eu.

FAQs

When does the next cohort start?

The next cohort starts on January 6th, 2027.

How much time does the programme take?

The programme runs for 12 weeks with one session per week. We meet every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm online and five times in person from 2pm to 6pm. You also have 10 hours of mentoring and weekly peer group sessions.

Where is the programme held?

Sessions are a mix of online and in-person learning at ESCP's London campus, 527 Finchley Road, North West London. Seven out of the 12 sessions are online.

Is the programme really 90% funded?

Yes. The UK Government funds 90% of the course. You pay £750 per participant. A limited number of bursaries are also available.

Can more than one person from my business attend?

Yes. Businesses with 10 or more employees can send up to two participants, for example the CEO and CTO, or the CEO and CFO.

What do I leave with?

You leave with a Growth Action Plan for your business, a certificate of completion and access to the national Help to Grow: Management alumni network.

Beyond the Programme

Your relationship with ESCP does not end when the course does. Join a thriving ecosystem of support, networking, and continuous growth.

Help to Grow Alumni Benefits

As a Help to Grow graduate, you'll join a dedicated national network with exclusive access to resources, events, and ongoing ESCP support designed specifically for SME leaders.

Alumni Events & Content

Free alumni events, webinars, and expert-led content to support your continued growth

Growth Action Plan

Your completed Growth Action Plan as a living business tool you can continue to develop

Peer Network

Peer connections with fellow SME leaders across the UK for ongoing collaboration

Speaking Opportunities

Opportunities to speak at future ESCP events and to new cohorts, sharing your journey

Student Internships

Access ESCP's talent pool. Place a motivated student intern in your business for a project or placement, bringing fresh ideas and dedicated support

Student Consulting Projects

Work with ESCP MBA and Masters students on a real business challenge. Our consulting projects give you structured analysis and recommendations.

Thought Leadership Platform

Share your journey. ESCP regularly invites business leaders to speak at events, panels, and in the classroom — raising your profile and expanding your network

Global Alumni Network

Join a community of 90,000+ ESCP alumni across 193 countries. Access events, peer introductions, and collaboration opportunities

ESCP Ecosystem Access

Continued access to ESCP's business support ecosystem and resources

Businesses We've Supported

Hugging Face

AI & Machine Learning

Featured Case Study

Shop Circle

E-commerce Technology

Building essential apps and tools that power thousands of online stores globally.

Giggling Squid

Hospitality & Dining

Award-winning Thai restaurant group bringing authentic flavours and hospitality to communities across the UK.

Why ESCP Business School?

Founded in 1819, ESCP is the oldest business school in the world. Our prestigious global reputation brings a truly international perspective to business education.

✓

AACSB

✓

EQUIS

✓

EFMD

Multi-accredited internationally with 7 national higher education accreditations

A Legacy of Excellence, A Vision for Growth

ESCP Business School is the world’s oldest business school, founded in 1819, with over 200 years of experience in developing effective, forward-thinking leaders. Consistently ranked among the top institutions globally by the Financial Times and QS, ESCP operates across six major European economic hubs: London, Berlin, Madrid, Paris, Turin, and Warsaw.

Its unique multi-campus model provides insights into different economies, cultures, and regulatory environments, offering a practical, international perspective on the complex challenges faced by managers and businesses operating in the UK and internationally.

Ranked in Europe (FT 2025)

European Campuses

90K+

Global Alumni Network

207

Years of Excellence

Our Distinctive Approach

ESCP brings a uniquely European, sustainable, and inclusive perspective to business leadership development

European Market Access

Six campuses across Europe, in London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Turin and Warsaw. Access multicultural perspectives and unparalleled networks to expand your business internationally.

Sustainability

Strong commitment to responsible business practices and ESG principles. Build sustainable growth strategies that create long-term value for your business and society.

Social Impact

Dedicated support for underrepresented founders and businesses creating positive change. We believe in widening access and building an inclusive ecosystem.

Leadership

Develop capabilities to inspire teams, drive change, and build high-performing organisations with decades of faculty expertise in leadership development.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Foster innovation and entrepreneurial thinking. Learn to identify opportunities, navigate disruption, and build agile business models for changing markets.

Creativity Marketing

Master cutting-edge strategies combining creativity with data-driven insights from world-leading experts in consumer behaviour and brand positioning.

View Full Rankings & Accreditations

Get in touch

Get In Touch

Alice Ivanoff

Senior Manager, ESCP Business School

Alice Ivanoff is the Programme Manager for ESCP Business School's Help to Grow: Management programme in London, and Head of Blue Factory London, ESCP's European Start-up incubator.

She has spent her career supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs, from WeWork's Creator Awards to Amazon's Small Business Accelerator, and is an exited founder of an AI-powered edtech business. She is also a mentor to different business owners and a volunteer for The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network.

Email

helptogrow@escp.eu
Address

527 Finchley Rd, London NW3 7BG
Office Hours

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm