What is Boost Invest?
Boost Invest is an investment readiness programme that will prepare you to secure investment to grow and scale your social impact. We will work intensively with you through a bespoke business support programme, including on-demand workshops, peer group sessions and one-to-one professional expertise. Boost Invest is supported by funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and delivered by Firstport.
Boost Invest will run three intakes this year. The first intake is now open for applications. The deadline for the first cohort intake is Monday 21 July 2025.
Two further intakes will open for applications later this year.
What is investment readiness?
Investment readiness is the process of preparing your business for growth so that you can employ grant funding and repayable investment to achieve social and commercial impact at scale. Becoming investment ready is an intensive process, and social entrepreneurs can take two months to two years to get there.
Why apply?
Because you want to scale the good work of your social enterprise, but you need to get your business processes ready for growth and want access to the right investors.
As a Boost Invest participant, you can expect the following:
- A bespoke programme of support. We tailor the support to the needs of your business and move at your pace.
- Access to expert training. You’ll attend workshops delivered by experts in different business areas – from governance to social impact and more.
- A local peer support network. We will bring you together with other Boost Invest participants to share experiences, learn from each other, and foster collaboration.
- Signposting and support to approach loan providers, funders and social investors. We will help you find the right investment options for your growth plans.
- A hands-on, knowledgeable, and dedicated support team. We will encourage, challenge and champion you so you get the most out of the programme.
Is Boost Invest for me?
Boost Invest supports social and community enterprises focused on scaling their impact and prepared to take risks. Boost Invest is for you if you:
- Are ambitious – you want to have a significant impact in North East England and beyond, and you are ready to start.
- Need finance to reach those ambitions and haven’t secured social investment previously.
- Have already explored/secured early-stage funding.
- Need support to get your business and processes ready to take on investment.
- Are building momentum. For example, you may have high levels of interest in your product or service or can forecast a high demand for your product.
- Can commit to an intensive programme of support. While Boost Invest is an 8-week programme, every journey and support offer is different. As an example, it can take anywhere between 2 months to 2 years to get to where you need to be.
Usually, Boost Invest participants already have some trading history and are ready to take their businesses to the next level. Pre-revenue social enterprises may be suitable for support based on their business model, product, or service growth potential.
Can I apply?
You can apply to Boost Invest if your social/community enterprise is:
- A previous Boost Fund awardee
- Based in North East England and operating primarily for the benefit of people, or communities in this region.
- Not involved in political campaigning or the advancement of religion.
- Providing a direct social benefit to individuals, communities and/or the environment.
- Incorporated and have a social purpose (profits from the enterprise are reinvested in the business and its social aims).
- Not providing services or activities that statutory bodies should provide.
If you are interested in applying to Boost Invest arrange a one-to-one meeting with our Boost Invest Relationship Manager, David Brewis by clicking this link
How does it work?
If you are interested in getting investment ready, accessing support from Boost Invest is easy:
- We will meet with you to learn about your current position and ambitions.
- If we think Boost Invest suits you, we’ll invite you to submit an application.
- Get started. We will invite you to participate in online workshops and in-person peer group sessions.
- You will access learning resources via our digital learning platform.
- You will meet with our Social Investment Relationship Manager regularly on a one-to-one basis.
- We will organise 1-1 support from external experts if you need targeted support.
- At the end of the programme, we will connect you with potential investors.
Current Participants
Follow this link to meet some of the social enterprises we are helping to get investment ready on our LaunchMe programme.
You can also watch this video to meet some of the social entrepreneurs who’ve received funding from the Social Enterprise Boost Fund.
Have a question?
If your question is not covered by the information on this page, drop us an email and we will be happy to help.
