Green Shoots: A new initiative launched by Home Grown to support early-stage Founders

Very few industries have been untouched by the COVID-19 crisis. With unemployment rates hitting an all-time high, many seasoned industry professionals who have built a corporate career for years or even decades, now find themselves forced to explore new avenues. Home Grown, the private members club for entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors, is recognising those that have decided to start their entrepreneurial journey inspired by a meaningful purpose. The London based Business Club is therefore launching its Green Shoots initiative to support new founders with business ideas that focus on solving environmental and sustainability issues.

The five successful entrepreneurs will receive full membership and access to the club and community of Home Grown for a period of 6 months, mentoring by experienced entrepreneurs and investors, and take part in a programme of comprehensive workshops with Home Grown partners in the realms of Legal, Accounting, Marketing, HR and Supply chain. The selected individuals will also be able to participate in all Home Grown member events in order to learn and grow their businesses and can enjoy a £2,000 allocation of budget for food and beverages, meeting rooms and bedroom spend in the club.  

The winners will also have access to exclusive networking opportunities within Home Grown’s global network of visionary entrepreneurs, industry experts and business leaders, including the opportunity to pitch to investors.  Home Grown's key investment partner SFC Capital, the UK’s most active early-stage investor, has only recently hit the headlines as it is set to invest a total of £11m in early-stage start-ups by the end of this year, and is looking for founders with innovative and impactful business ideas.

Green Shoots is aimed at entrepreneurs who have a proven transition from a corporate environment to becoming a founder of a company that has been set up within the last 12 months and supports one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“We believe that there are a lot of talented people who have lost employment due to the effects of the pandemic who may have been dreaming of starting their own business. Although their decision to become an entrepreneur may have been accelerated by the current economic climate, their vision and motivation will have developed over a longer period of time,” says Joost de Kruiff, General Manager of Home Grown. “Home Grown also acknowledges the importance of the environment as one of the most pressing issues of our time, hence why our new programme Green Shoots is focused on supporting new founders whose companies are aiming to support one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Stephen Page, CEO and Founder of SFC Capital commented “Out of dark times great opportunities exist for those willing to take the risk and start a business.  People unwilling to leave the comfort of a big company prior to Covid may no longer have that option and can find themselves unemployed. What greater time to go into the unknown and start a new business? We believe a number of great start-ups will be founded in the aftermath of Covid as the government support unwinds and talented individuals find the chance to make that step. The Home Grown Green Shoots campaign is designed to give support to five brave individuals starting out on a new journey. We support the initiative totally and believe only good things will emerge as a result.” 

The deadline for applications is Sunday 31 January 2021. To apply or to find out more about the application process, visit https://homegrownclub.co.uk/news/greenshoots/.