Scale-Up Forum: Annual Review 2022

The Scale-Up Forum provides a unique platform for fast-growing business to discuss key challenge areas, share best practice and access high level expertise from the Alliance MBS and our partners to provide insights of value to members.

At this online event we will be discussing the national outlook for scaling businesses within the current economic climate, with a focus on how the Northwest region is positioned, including the context of skills and productivity challenges and the impact of business growth, in partnership with The Productivity Institute.

For this end-of-year review we are keeping things online and hope many of our regional business members can join for insight from the national ScaleUp Institute followed by a discussion bringing academic insight onto the regional picture.

2022 Annual Review

Presenting findings of the 2022 ScaleUp Institute Annual Report, Josh Robson, Head of Public Affairs at the ScaleUp Institute, will share thoughts on the outlook for scaling businesses in the UK, bringing insight on gaps and opportunities for business success and growth. Josh will discuss the importance of the UK Scale Up economy to national prosperity, how the economic climate and skills challenge impact business growth and leadership confidence, and the increasing focus on ESG as a potential opportunity for UK businesses to carve a niche in international markets.

Following an overview of the national outlook Josh will be joined by Kieron Flanagan, Professor of Science and Technology Policy at AMBS, and Professor Javier García Oliva, Associate Dean for Business Engagement, Faculty of Humanities, for a discussion chaired by Nicola Pike, Engagement & Impact Director of The Productivity Institute, to focus on Scaling business in the northwest. Our discussion will address how the productivity and skills challenges impact the growth outlook for scaling business and how activity at The Productivity Institute can inform and complement the Manchester Scale Up Forum in 2023.

Finally we will open the discussion to the audience - as well as direct questions to the panel we want to hear our from the GM scale-up community on the key opportunity and challenge areas they face that will inform the next series of Scale-Up Forum events. This will allow us to bring in expert speakers from within the University and beyond who will offer insight on the themes identified, ensuring the Forum provides a platform to address your business challenges and facilitate growth.

This event is for you if you work in a fast growing SME or scaling up business, attendance is not restricted to current members of the Scale-Up Forum.