One of the world’s leading investment banks and one of the most highly regarded universities in the world are joining forces to help small businesses in the UK.

The Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford is working with the Goldman Sachs Foundation to deliver the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme.

The programme lasts for four months, free and is ‘fully-funded’.

Charlotte Keenan, Head of Goldman Sachs’ office of corporate engagement in EMEA said, ‘Through 10,000 Small Businesses UK, participants step back from the business, empower their people to take on more responsibility, and fix their eye on a long-term strategy.’

Its Building Small Business Britain report found that over 1,400 alumni of the programme, which launched in 2011, have experienced favourable business outcomes since graduating from the programme.

71 per cent took on external financing, and 62 per cent launched a new product or service within a year.

So how do you apply?

To be eligible your business needs to:

• be operating for at least three years
• have between five-50 employees
• post turnover of at least £250,000 in the last financial year.

Also, you shouldn’t have any recent management education and the applicant should be the main decision maker or owner of the business.

The programme will involve 100 hours of tuition across online platforms as well as face-to-face sessions and seven days of residential learning.

Applications for the Spring 2019 programme are open until 12 December 2018.

Apply here.

Further reading on funding

• Small business finance: A list of grant and funding options

• Winning grants and free support for your business: It’s a RAPP

Watch the video below on 10,000 Small Businesses

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