Manchester-headquartered PR Agency One (PRAO) has launched an accelerator programme to help build and grow new PR and communications businesses.
The new venture, named One Accelerator, will aim to turn potential business plans into thriving businesses with a view to bring innovation to the sector, drive growth and create new jobs.
One Accelerator has been created by PRAO’s founder and managing director James Crawford and Stephen Waddington, the former president of the CIPR and visiting Professor of Practice in Public Relations at Newcastle University.
The accelerator programme will support new agency start-ups with capital, marketing and sales support and back office resources.
It will be aimed at senior PRs, ambitious freelancers and in-house or agency employees who may be considering branching out on their own.
James Crawford (pictured) said: “We know from experience that starting and running a business is tough and we have all the experience and know-how to fast track a start-up PR agency. This incubator will equip fledgling entrepreneurs with the inspiration, the insight and the concrete tools to turn their idea into a business and quickly take it to the next level.
“All of our past and current staff are encouraged to be entrepreneurial, to be pioneers who seek out new challenges. That’s what this new incubator is about, allowing people, including our own staff, to take a leap of faith, safe in the knowledge that we will be there every step of the way with support, tips and valuable insight.”
Stephen Waddington added: “Thousands of businesses are created every year but latest figures show that 20% fail within the first 12 months rising to 60% by year three. Among the reasons they fail is because they run out of cash, they lacked a good business model, had poor marketing and because they didn’t have the right team in the business.
“One Accelerator takes these barriers out of the equation and any start-up company we invest in will be given every opportunity to make the transition to become a success story and achieve full potential, because it is also in our interests that it flies.”
