Why it matters: With national startup failure rates estimated at around 60% within three years, the programme has flipped those odds. Since March 2023, it has helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs turn ideas into trading businesses, forming 408 new companies and creating or safeguarding 163 jobs – showing how locally embedded support can deliver results that far outperform national averages.
What they're saying: In a Start, Build & Grow (SBG) Impact Report for 2023-25, Melissa Neisler Dickinson, founder of The Menopause Vitamin Company, said: "Being part of Start, Build & Grow gave me clarity, confidence and a community – three things every new founder needs."
Rob and Will Ward, founders of Alkemy Distillery, added: "Losing everything made us braver – Start, Build & Grow helped us rebuild, rethink and finally bottle success."
Andy Skinner, co-director of SBG and managing director of AMS Business Consultants, emphasised the programme's focus on outcomes over attendance: "The most important metric that truly matters is those businesses still operating after 12 months." That figure now stands at 91%.
The big picture: The programme has delivered 408 new businesses against a target of just 40 – a tenfold overperformance. Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and delivered by AMS Business Consultants and Business Growth Coaches Network in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council, it has provided more than 6,000 hours of coaching and workshops to local entrepreneurs.
The details: Launched in March 2023, the programme focuses on building confidence, resilience and community alongside practical skills – prioritising long-term business survival over short-term participation metrics. It provides coaching, workshops and digital resources to 735 entrepreneurs through one-to-one sessions, with support available for up to nine months.
The approach aims to transform entrepreneurs themselves, not just their business plans – building the confidence and resilience needed for long-term success.
That approach is delivering results: 89 participants have improved productivity, 87 have entered new markets, and 56 have adopted new technology.
By the numbers: The programme has exceeded every target set at launch:
1,059 business owners engaged (target: 150)
576 businesses receiving support (target: 150)
735 entrepreneurs made business-ready (target: 150)
408 new businesses formed (target: 40)
115 jobs created (target: 45)
48 jobs safeguarded – where businesses retained existing staff they might otherwise have had to let go (target: 30)
Regional impact: The programme's success is attracting attention beyond Ipswich – more than 300 businesses from outside the borough have sought to join, signalling the town's growing reputation as a regional entrepreneurial hub.
That reach extends into skills development, too. SBG has partnered with Suffolk New College, facilitating 24 student placements and mentoring more than 70 Level 3 business students. A further 98 participants have achieved Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification.
Digital engagement has been strong, with the programme's app downloaded more than 2,000 times and two podcast series available on streaming platforms.
For context: The programme targets the critical early phase – supporting entrepreneurs from initial idea through to two years of trading, when national failure rates are highest. Ipswich.co.uk is a programme partner, showcasing participants and connecting businesses with the wider community.
The bottom line: Start Build & Grow demonstrates that public investment can deliver returns when support is locally embedded and prioritises practical skills. With a 91% survival rate, 400-plus businesses launched, and growing regional demand, Ipswich may have found a replicable model for how targeted council funding can support entrepreneurship.
