Supporting extraordinary entrepreneurs

Our social enterprise incubator

Investec entrepreneurship corporate responsibility programme

Investec was built on 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 Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets.

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 the business. These entrepreneurs also receive funding of up to £20,000 each to launch their new enterprises.

375+

jobs created

£6.5m

collective turnover

55%

female leadership

Since Investec became the sole funder of Beyond Business in 2011, the programme changed its name to Investec Beyond Business and launched 51 social enterprises, most of them female-led. These businesses have created more than 375 jobs so far, as well as 54 work experience and 76 volunteer placements in the community. They have also generated a total turnover of £6.5m.  

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.

 

Investec Group sustainability report 2022

Learn more about our commitment to sustainability in the past financial year.

In their words


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

 
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”.

Do you have an idea for a new social enterprise?

Project grants for charities

Outside our partner organisations, we 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 are local to one of our offices, you can apply for a grant. Please read the full criteria below to find out more, and 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.