Supporting extraordinary entrepreneurs

Our social enterprise incubator

Investec was built in the spirit of entrepreneurship, and we’re proud to support budding entrepreneurs who want to make a sustainable, positive impact in the local community. We do this through the award-winning Investec Beyond Business programme.

Investec Beyond Business

Investec Beyond Business is a social enterprise incubation programme which we run in partnership with the Bromley by Bow Centre. It aims to help promising entrepreneurs who are committed to creating sustainable, profit-making businesses which also generate social outcomes. The programme operates in Tower Hamlets, Newham and Hackney.
 
Every year, successful candidates receive intensive support in business planning as well as training and expert advice through the Investec Beyond Business College, which is run by volunteers from across Investec. These entrepreneurs also receive funding of up to £20,000 each to launch their new enterprises.

300+

jobs created

£5m

collective turnover

60%

female leadership

Since Investec became the sole funder of Beyond Business in 2011, the programme has launched 47 social enterprises, most of them being female-led. These businesses have created more than 300 jobs so far, as well as 54 work experience and 76 volunteer placements in the community. They have also generated a total turnover of £5m. 
 
The success rate of these social enterprises is high: 82% are still operating after three years. The national average success rate for new businesses is 50%.
 
Investec also launched four additional successful businesses between 2008 and 2011, when we were a junior partner in the programme.
 

Awards

Investec wins Business of the Year - Business Charity Awards

Investec was crowned Business of the Year at the Business Charity Awards, as well as winning the award for Community Impact.

Investec Business in the Community award

Winner of Business in the Community's Experian Building Stronger Communities Award for Investec Beyond Business.

Lord Mayor's Dragon Award logo

The Bromley by Bow Centre won the Lord Mayor's Dragon Award for its partnership with Investec on City Giving Day in 2017.

In their words


Investec Beyond Business entrepreneurs share their inspiring stories and community impact.

 

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Ruth Rogers, founder of The Canvas Cafe

Ruth discusses where her idea for The Canvas Cafe came from and her journey to launching it through the Investec Beyond Business programme.

Ruth Rogers, founder of The Canvas Cafe

Ruth discusses where her idea for The Canvas Cafe came from and her journey to launching it through the Investec Beyond Business programme.

Elroy Powell, founder of Diverse Music Solutions

Elroy ‘Spoonface’ Powell talks about his social enterprise: “One agency, one project, one song, feed a hundred smiling children. It’s that simple”.

You may also be interested in:

Do you have an idea for a new social enterprise?

Project grants for charities

Apart from our partner organisations, we also support small to medium charities through small project grants. If you represent a charity that works in our focus areas – education, entrepreneurship and/or environment – and is local to one of our offices, you can read the full criteria below to find out more, and get in touch.

Get in touch

You may also be interested in:

The Change Foundation at Investec

Our education programme

We aim to help young people in communities local to our offices to achieve their goals in life, beyond academic study.
environment initiatives

Environmental initiatives

Learn more about Investec's work to reduce our environmental footprint, promote preservation and improve our local communities’ environment.
Investec's social investment work in South Africa

Our community work in South Africa

We strive to create economically active citizens that contribute to socio-economic growth in South Africa.

Read our Sustainability reports

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