What’s it about?
Bristol-based creative business collective Istoria Group has launched a competition to find a local, women-owned Micro Business to support as part of its Incubator Hub programme, whereby Istoria Group houses and helps guide fledgling businesses in their initial period of development.
Why Enter?
The chosen business will receive free mentorship, including business, PR, marketing support, as well as a free website design and build from Istoria Group’s leadership team and creative sister companies. The winner will be able to use an enclosed mezzanine, rent-free office space for up to four people for a 6-month period at Istoria Group’s Bristol HQ at Paintworks, with its own toilets and access to all office facilities, from use of the kitchen to bookable meeting rooms, as well as free electricity and WiFi, for a six-month period from 1 June – 30 November 2023.
Istoria Group has the support of two local organisations - Black South West Network and Babbasa - to help spread the word and make sure the offer reaches as diverse and inclusive an audience as possible, with representatives from all three organisations, as well as Cecilia Thirlway, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Bristol, judging the applications.
Meet your judges
The deadline for receipt of application is midnight, Wednesday 19 April 2023.
The deadline for receipt of application is midnight, Wednesday 19 April 2023.
Details of the offer
Istoria Group is offering up to four people free deskspace in an enclosed mezzanine-level office at its Paintworks HQ in Bristol for a six-month period starting 1 June – 30 November 2023. Please note this space is currently only accessible by stair.
Istoria Group is additionally offering mentorship and in-house creative services as follows:
3 x 1-hour sessions with Istoria Group Chairwoman Claire Menzies concentrating on business growth and entrepreneurialism
Free website design and build courtesy of Istoria Group’s digital innovation specialists Tiny Spark
Free brand critique / refresh courtesy of Istoria Group’s branding, retail and hospitality designers Phoenix Wharf
2 x 1-hour sessions with Istoria Group’s Group Finance Director Bryn Isaacs, focusing on financial forecasting, cashflow and budgeting
2 x 1-hour sessions with Istoria Group’s Chief Marketing Officer Lindie Kramers, focusing on marketing strategies
2 x 1-hour sessions on PR and Communications with Istoria Group’s PR Consultant Caroline Collett, plus 500 words of free marketing or press release copy
About you
We are open to receiving applications from the founder or founders of Micro Businesses in any market sector and at any stage of early growth - as long as you are women-owned and based in the Bristol or SW region.
Ideally, we hope that you will share at least some of Istoria Group’s corporate values. Last year, Istoria Group became a B Corp and the company is proud of its EPIC values (entrepreneurial, personable, intelligent and collaborative) as well as standing for the inclusive and ethical treatment of staff; innovation in business; a strong commitment to sustainability and creative re-use and a commitment to the local Bristol region and economy.
Good luck! We can’t wait to find out more about you and your ideas.
Download the entry form
We’re looking for exciting people and ideas above all things, so if you can’t answer any of the questions, please don’t be put off.
We’d still like to hear from you and we won’t know about your set-up or circumstances unless you tell us!