A new Design 4 Growth programme is set to be rolled out and an information day is being hosted in Waterford City, by Waterford Local Enterprise Office.
You might be wondering if this programme is for you and your business… so let us share some details about how it works and the pilot programme that has been run successfully in Dublin.
Design 4 Growth is a scheme to help small enterprises utilise strategic design to improve their business and is supported The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland.
So how can it help your business, firstly, Research shows that Irish companies that value design innovative more successfully. Companies that integrate design more strategically within their organisations experience greater demand for their goods and services.
Design 4 Growth will give businesses the opportunity to have access to experienced design strategists and will assist them with their marketing strategy, which will be an invaluable asset to their future growth.
A panel of design strategists will help the companies selected, in identifying ways in which design can improve their business. Suitable candidates for this programme may not have previously considered how design can help their business or may not have fully explored the potential of design to date.
The programme will provide support to the value of €10,000 to selected companies. The programme includes a series of masterclasses, workshops and 1-2-1 sessions with dedicated Design Strategists.
The Design 4 Growth scheme will place a designer with the enterprise to help in identifying and commissioning the right design services by helping to develop a design strategy tailored to improving the unique business and implement the design strategy on a part funded basis.
During the pilot scheme in Dublin 30 businesses took part,with different target market priorities: some targeting Irish markets, others targeting both domestic an international markets and others targeting primarily international markets. The programme was a great success, the output was for some the creation of a new product, for others it was the creation of a new organisation, for others it was the expansion into new markets or a new to target new market segments.
An introductory workshop aimed at providing an understanding of design strategy in business development will be held in Waterford on Tuesday, April 17th from 2pm to 4pm at Waterford Treasures. We are inviting as many SME’s as possible to this event, it is free to attend and those interested in attending are asked to register in advance on the link below.
We look forward to seeing you there. Book your free place here.