Way to Scale

Way to Scale supports ambitious, innovation driven entrepreneurs to reach £10 million+ revenue

Apply Now for Way to Scale 2022

APPLY NOW

Way to Scale was the best business experience I have ever been through and has left an indelible mark on me as a businessperson. Everything changed, for the better. My Way to Scale cohort still stay connected today; almost 130 people from across the world, all entrepreneurs, have stayed together, and meet as often as we can to share experiences and knowledge.

Dale Cree - 3EN

What is Way to Scale?

Way to Scale is an intensive programme that will run from January to March 2022 and is open to 10 ambitious CEOs with the vision to scale. It is made up of three core elements.

JANUARY 2022 – a week-long intensive residential Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) at the world-leading technology and business university, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with around 100 other international CEOs and Entrepreneurs.

See the draft MIT programme here

FEBRUARY 2022 – five tailored strategy workshops at Catalyst for CEOs and senior team members to work on your own business plans and implement EDP learnings.
MARCH 2022 – a week long, bespoke residential in Boston, focussing on go-to-market, sales strategies and tactics, together with focused customer prospect visits that will deliver a defendable, scalable business plan for each company.

Who should apply?

Applications are open to highly ambitious, innovation driven entrepreneurs with the vision to scale to £10M+ revenue, and plan to significantly grow business internationally.
Your company has revenue of £500,000+, or the capital in place to grow. The programme is subsidised by our sponsors Belfast City Council and Invest NI. The remaining balance is payable by those attending; we will discuss this with you further once applications have been shortlisted.

The Way to Scale programme fundamentally changed how I do business.

Way to Scale Alumni

WHY WAY TO SCALE?

Northern Ireland is leading the way when it comes to nurturing innovation start-up companies to £1M in revenue. However, the real economic impact occurs when companies scale to £10Million and beyond. The Way to Scale programme helps to close this gap by giving a select group of CEOs the chance to participate in an intensive entrepreneur development programme that spans Northern Ireland and the USA.

In our Way to Scale programme, you will:

Develop the confidence, skills and behaviours that will support your ambition
Implement a step-by-step framework to de-risk your business while maximising success
Learn how to build a defendable core and really establish your business
Take a deep dive into the detail that will support driving a robust business plan
Fine tune your sales and marketing strategy and tactical engagement

Way to Scale Programme

Programme Kick Off (November 19th 2021*)
*morning only
Element 1: MIT Entrepreneurship Development Programme (January 16th - 22nd 2022)
From global leading tech & business university, MIT, The EDP is a week-long, high level, intensive executive education course teaching skills for high impact entrepreneurship. It is held onsite at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston for approximately 100 international CEOs. The course is aimed at highly ambitious entrepreneurs from businesses with international potential who want to learn from the best and be the best.

Key strategic focus:

– Peer-to-Peer team building and support

– Defining Market & Value Proposition

– Competitive Advantage

– Business Modelling, Pricing, Go-to-Market

– Financials, Financing & Exit

Key Course features:

– Lead by serial entrepreneur, Bill Aulet

– Facilitators and teachers are all business experienced

– Real company war stories from visits and guest speakers

– Alumni stay in touch
Element 2: Catalyst Workshop Series (February 8th, 9th*, 10th*, 11th* 2022)
The CWS comprises five ½-day networking and practical workshops designed to cement cohort relationships, maximise peer-to-peer support and work on real challenges within each CEO’s respective company. With a focus on the practical elements of meeting company challenges between key residential elements, the programme will aim to continue to build CEO confidence, iterate on strategic business plan elements and answer question in the areas of sales, marketing, funding, operations, process, leadership and management, reinforcing EDP learning within participant’s companies.

Key strategic focus:

– CEO Confidence building

– Peer-to-Peer support

– Applied learning with go-to-market focus

– Enhancing and expanding support network

– Onward Investment readiness element

Key Course features:

– Facilitated by Catalyst’s proven delivery team

– Speakers all experience business practitioners

– Applied workshops

– Complimenting MIT experience

– Keeping the cohort together

*morning only
Element 3: Go-to-Market Deep Dive (March 6th - 11th 2022)
The GtMDD is a week-long, detail intensive, executive education programme developed and delivered in collaboration with Catalyst in Boston. Building on the EDP at MIT teaching further skills that focus on delivering ambitious growth plans. The programme will focus on Go-to-Market strategies and tactics. The programme is aimed at fine tuning leadership and practical skills and knowledge in order to instill the confidence to think big yet deliver on objectives, through focused classroom learning, workshops and networking and a focus on sales, with the most experienced practitioners.

Key strategic focus:

– Defending & Delivering a “think big” model

– Marketing to create a realistic pipeline

– Sales strategy and process

– Sales resource, technique and forecast delivery

– Managing Sales & Marketing resource

Key Course features:

– Facilitated by world leading network

– Facilitators and teachers are all business experienced

– Real company war stories from visits and guest speakers

– Complimentary to MIT residential the CWS, solidifies business modelling