Be Your Own Boss
Growing Kent & Medway
A world-class research, innovation & enterprise cluster for horticultural food and drink production.
New Partnership Brings Be Your Own Boss to Medway
We are bringing a youth enterprise programme to Medway. This follows the recent success of the Be Your Own Boss pilot programme which we ran in partnership with the Perfect Place to Grow, Margate.
Be Your Own Boss provides provides free entrepreneurial and kitchen skills training in a welcoming environment to young people aged 18 to 24 years. The next programme will run in collaboration with The Sunlight Development Trust in Gillingham and starts on 27th February 2025.
If you, or someone you know, are interested in applying, further details are available on our website.
Sustainability grants - apply now
if you are looking to reduce your energy costs and move your business to net zero, apply for a Growing Green grant, of up to ￡7,000.
The grant is supported by our two-day training programme, with one-to-one guidance to help you write your sustainability action plan.
If you missed our Growing Green briefing, you can watch again online.
Why sign up for Growing Green??
? Grant of up to ￡7,000
? Accredited IEMA training and qualification?
? Bespoke environmental action plan?
? Networking and events?
Place-based investment in food and farming innovation: what works?
In January, we presented a session at the The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) , discussing the importance of place-based investment for innovation.?
We were joined on the panel by Jon Mills , Canterbury Brewers and Distillers, who shared his? inspirational innovation journey, growing mushrooms from waste from his whiskey distillation.?
The session was delivered in partnership with Digital Dairy Chain and we were also joined by Jessica Corner, Executive Chair for Research England, who highlighted the importance of local expertise for regional research and development.
You can watch the session back online: Place-based investment in food and farming innovation: What works?
Latest Food Accelerator Takes Off
This week, 18 entrepreneurs joined our latest Food Accelerator support programme.?
The first workshop took place at the Medway Food Innovation Centre, where the businesses will receive technical support to develop their plant-based food products.?
We look forward to tasting lots of new products when they get to market!?
To coincide with our latest Food Accelerator, we have a new series of brilliant food webinars for you. Our next webinar on Thursday 20th February will be hosted by Dr Parag Acharya on optimising new product development for food and drink brands.
Upcoming sessions include:
We also have limited spaces on a one-day workshop on Understanding Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points.
Explore our events page and book your place.