The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) has chosen mobile and digital agency Que Pasa Communications to take part in an industry mentoring initiative. NESTAs Creative Business Mentor Network will work with 24 companies from within the advertising, production and digital media sectors that it has identified as having high growth potential. Que Pasa and the other 23 businesses were selected by NESTA from amongst hundreds of companies who applied. Each will work with a highly experienced industry mentor. Que Pasa will be mentored by Stephen Woodford, Chairman and CEO of DDB.
Creative businesses are highly networked, but getting practical, intelligent advice on business growth, from people who appreciate their sector, is tough to find,” says Jon Kingsbury, Director of the Creative Economy at NESTA. “Our programme focuses on the highly innovative, creative businesses which will contribute to the creative industries leading the UK out of recession.
Recent analysis from NESTA shows that these businesses will take centre-stage as a high growth contributor to the UK economy over the next five years. The analysis suggests that between 2009 and 2013, the UK creative industries (including film, music, fashion, TV advertising and digital media) will grow on average at 4%, more than double the rate of the rest of the economy. By 2013, the sector is expected to employ 1.3 million people, with as many as 180,000 creative businesses in the sector, compared to the current number of 148,000. In the same year, the sector is expected to contribute as much as 85 billion to the UK economy, up from 57 billion.