Business Blast Off - 4wk training course for software/digital businesses (Newcastle)

[lordlancaster]

Anyone budding entrepreneurs in the Newcastle area thinking of starting a software / digital business? If so, this 4wk course run by Codeworks looks really good (details below):

Thursday 11th November, 18:00-20:30, RMT office http://www.r-m-t.co.uk/media/pdfs/map.pdf
Workshop 1: Business Basics
Ross, Matthew, Stephen, Peter or Claire

• Different forms of businesses – sole traders, partnerships, limited companies
• Holding companies, parents and subsidiaries
• Shareholders, directors and employees
• Tax and VAT (including income tax, corporation tax and VAT)
• Early stage legal foundations (i.e. shareholders agreements, director’s service contracts, employment basics etc.)
• Premises, facilities and virtual offices (including useful resources)
• Introduction to IP (Patents, Trademarks, Designs, Copyright, Know How etc.)
• Using IP within a business
• Evaluating the commercial potential of an idea
• Tools and commercial thinking processes for thinking critically
• Turning ideas into product or service concepts
• Defining your business model (licensing, manufacturing, JV’s, alliances/collaborations, high-value service companies)
• Financing implications, strategies and key considerations of each business model
• How equitable each business model might be

Thursday 18th November, 18:00-20:30, RMT office South Gosforth
Workshop 2: Business Planning and Funding
Stephen

• Business planning
• Forecasting
• How to position for funders and the characteristics they look for
• Grants (Business Link, GRD, GBI, Innovation Vouchers, NBSL, LEGI, KTP’s etc.)
• VC funding and convertible loans for early-stage businesses (POC, Technology Fund and Accelerator Fund)
• Debt finance (RELF, Bank Loans, UK Steel etc.)
• Angel and private equity investment (BIG, angels networks etc.)
• R&D tax credits
• Factoring and invoice discounting

Thursday 25th November, 18:00-20:30, RMT office South Gosforth
Workshop 3: Commercialisation
Ross and Matthew

• Understanding application markets and supply chains
• Understanding ways to reach end users and barriers to entry
• Executing commercialisation strategies (e.g. licensing, JV’s, franchising etc.)
• How to license technologies or ideas
• Building market connections
• Building a scalable business
• Business growth strategies
• Commercial business development
• SET HOMEWORK TASK

Thursday 9th December, 18:00-20:30, RMT office South Gosforth
Workshop 4: Putting Your Knowledge Into Practice and Next Steps
Ross, Matthew, Stephen, Peter or Claire, Fred

• Review of homework / feedback (format to be decided)
• Dissection of real case studies
• Group facilitation and discussion
• Review of final questions and next steps
• Support from Codeworks to further the idea: Introduction to DEV

Just 25 spaces are available for the workshops and a place can be booked for just £99 before Thursday 28th October (Prices will then increase to £149).

More info at: http://www.sunderlandsoftwarecity.com/events/2010/11/11/38-business-blast-off.html