The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Create Growth Programme funding for the Create South East programme will continue for another year to March 2026.
Since 2022, Kent County Council (KCC) has led a partnership of 12 local and unitary authorities and organisations across the counties of Kent, Essex and Sussex to support 36 businesses in Kent and 123 creative businesses across the region, including film makers, publishers, fashion designers, architects and games companies, become investment ready.
The programme provides up to nine months of intensive, tailored support to help businesses develop the skills needed to secure investment and facilitate access to additional funding, giving ambitious founders the conditions to consider scale, market reach, investment and growth strategies.
The programme has also been working to secure investment into creative businesses by connecting with regional investment networks.
The Government has made a commitment to support the creative industries as part of the new Industrial Strategy recognising the key role they can play in economic growth.
Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, Clair Bell, said: “KCC has an outstanding track record in supporting growth of the cultural sector and we are proud to be working with our partners across the South East region to help creative businesses grow. The creative sector is hugely important to our local economy and it’s fantastic that more Kent companies will benefit from the programme and continue to contribute to the creative vibrancy of the county.”
Project lead for KCC, Sarah Wren, said: “This project marks a shift in our support for the cultural sector with its focus on removing barriers for creative businesses in accessing finance in order to drive growth. Over the last three years we have met the most amazing business founders who have chosen to set up their businesses here and with a helping hand from Create South East can flourish and reach their potential. We look forward to welcoming more businesses onto the programme.”
The team at Modish Muslimah have had support from the programme
Nadia Ahmed from Dartford-based Modish Muslimah, a modest fashions discovery platform, said: "Joining the Create South East programme has been a transformative experience for us. Since launching our business last year, the programme helped us gain valuable clarity and refine our offering. It enabled us to understand our business on a deeper level, which ultimately allowed us to develop a more effective and strategic business plan. This newfound insight has been crucial in shaping our direction and moving forward with confidence.
“Starting a business comes with its challenges, but with the guidance and advice of our mentor, Ali Kazmi, we have been able to navigate through them. Additionally, Deborah Gruenberger played a key role in helping us craft a powerful pitch. Thanks to the support we received, we now feel more energized and prepared to present our business idea to potential investors.
“We highly recommend the Create South East programme to all creative businesses. Our sincere thanks to the entire Create South East team for their unwavering support throughout our journey."
Ben Dawson from Immersives Group Ltd, a pioneering company specialising in immersive experiences that elevate live events, said: "Being part of the Create South East programme has helped us refine our immersive tickets product, a key element of our immersive entertainment offering, and prepare us for the investment we require to develop our product. The mentorship from the awesome Tim McSweeney, and supportive wider network, has provided invaluable guidance, enabling us to shape and position our venture for future growth. We’d highly recommend the programme to any creative business looking to innovate."
Further information
For more information about the programme and to learn about future opportunities visit https://createsoutheast.org.uk/
