Strathclyde Executive Education & DevelopmentScottish Impact Investor Readiness Programme
Create Impact, Get Investor Ready
The challenges we face in today’s world are ever evolving, challenging and complex; requiring businesses and their senior leaders to become more resilient, innovative and value driven to play pivotal roles in how and why we do business.
As a socially progressive University and “the place of useful learning”, we have a responsibility not only to our students but to society as a whole in making a positive difference to the world through education and providing supportive and inclusive environments for learning. By drawing on our world class and internationally recognised research and combining this with practical tools and peer – to - peer learning, we can support communities and individuals who are striving for a better tomorrow.
This programme seeks to encourage ambitious businesses and their leaders to think about their impact and how to integrate this into business growth strategy. This programme is for senior leaders of organisations looking to enhance their positive impact on the environment and society through the way they work and grow their businesses.
Recognising strength in collaboration, we have partnered with the Scottish National Investment Bank, to introduce this truly unique programme to our SME Growth Programme portfolio.
Get in touch
For all enquiries, please contact the Strathclyde Executive Education & Development Team
SEED
Strathclyde Business School
199 Cathedral Street
Glasgow
G4 0QU
eMail: exec.education@strath.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)141 553 6135
Eligibility:
- Must be an established business seeking or anticipating investment to achieve growth ambitions. The business should be committed to growing and improving its impact as it scales, or already demonstrating impact (even at an early stage).
- Must be a Scottish based business or a business looking to grow in Scotland.
- Minimum of 5 employees.
- Senior leader / decision maker of the business (for example: CEO / CFO / COO / Founder / Co-Founder / Board Member).
- Up to two individuals from one business can participate.
- Open to any sector.
**If you are interested in the programme but do not have an exact fit with the criteria, please get in touch with us as we review applications on a case-by-case basis.
Cost:
- This programme has received significant investment from strategic partners and as a result programme fees are heavily subsidised, reducing the usual cost of £7500 down to just £750 per participant.
- Once you apply to the programme, your application will be processed and if eligible, you will be offered a formal place. Details of how to pay will be included in your offer email. Applications are normally processed within 7-10 working days.
Strategies for responsible business growth
Having supported over 450 SMEs since 2015 across multiple practical programmes, we’re delighted to partner with Scottish National Investment Bank to continue our mission in supporting leaders of ambitious, growth-oriented businesses.
Director of Growth Programmes
Course Breakdown:
25/08/25 - Foundations for Sustainable Growth & Impact
Introduce the Value Proposition Canvas. Analysis of vision and resources: finance / markets / sustainability. Gap analysis exercise. Strategy Practical Element: Scenario Planning. Introduce ESGF - Sustainable Development and 3 pillars of ESG (with Finance as the 4th pillar).
08/09/25 - Transforming your Business Model
Background of the tool, linking to Innovation and spotting opportunity to innovate. Practical application of SBMC to live cases and own business.
22/09/25 - Measuring Impact for Growth
Measuring impact via E,S G and F framework. Role of different legal structures of companies in governance. Carbon Literacy - Assessing your Impact: “How to evidence / track whether you are on the right track” - participants reflect on how far along they are on this track. Include “your internal company policy in practice” here + overview Climate Risk Assessment Tool.
06/10/25 - Financing Growth
Practical steps to scaling. Sales / Marketing/ lead generation / pipeline management/ digital footprint analysis / client profiling. Overview of Impact Investment - Finding finance inside & outside – Analysis of innovative ways to finance growth (transforming resources/using technology). Panel Discussion: Scaling Smart: Investor Insights.
20/10/25 - Innovation, Supply Chains & Internationalisation
Linking innovation to supply chain management - reviewing processes / data and finances, how is this collected / managed, how can this be more efficient within their business. Internationalisation and its impact on business finances and sustainability reporting. Engaging with tier one supply chains. Practical Exercise - Investment Pitching.
03/11/25 - Creating an Engaged Workforce
Evidence based approach examining how investments in job quality and fair work enhances wellbeing, team performance, increased productivity, bottom line and innovation. Review and Graduation Review of learning and assessing Gaps. Planning for the future and make a Pledge.
By taking part you will:
- Gain skills, knowledge, and practical tools to embed impact into both your business strategy and operations.
- Develop your understanding of the impact investment sector and how to make more targeted investment decisions.
- Gain confidence in understanding impact, the various types and ways of measuring impact, and the ability to articulate the value of impact in your business to your team, customers, and potential investors.
- Gain access to the latest research and learn from real world practitioners, from impact-centred organisations, impact investors and wider ecosystem experts.
- Build a peer network of other impact-focused organisations and their leaders.
- Help to better position yourself for investment opportunities.
- Learn how to develop an effective growth strategy and plan and build the ability to measure and assess your impact.
- Gain a certification of achievement upon completion of the programme.
Get in touch with the team to register your interest.
University of Strathclyde Chief Commercial Officer Gillian Docherty, Scottish National Investment Bank Exec Director of Partnerships & Engagement David Ritchie, and Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Innovation Director of SME Growth Programmes John Anderson.
We welcome and encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply for this programme.
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Contact details
Undergraduate admissions
+44 (0)141 548 4024
sbs-ug-admissions@strath.ac.uk
Postgraduate admissions
+44(0)141 553 6116/6105/6117
sbs.admissions@strath.ac.uk
Address
Strathclyde Business School
University of Strathclyde
199 Cathedral Street
Glasgow
G4 0QU
Triple accredited
