De-risking Net-Zu’s vision to revolutionise creative talent sourcing with Innovate UK support

The challenge

The creative industries have long been seen as a risky and unpredictable space for investors looking for scalability and defensible intellectual property (IP) which can be a challenge for creative businesses. The Create Growth Programme, funded by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS) and delivered by Innovate UK, was designed to help build connections between founders and investors, driving increased investment to boost regional growth and improve understanding of the sector.

The platform

Net-Zu is a creative marketplace that connects and sources creative talent – from photographers and graphic designers to fashion stylists and more. Developed for individuals, small businesses and creative professionals, it simplifies the process of finding, booking and collaborating with a diverse range of creatives. Whether for a single shoot or full-scale campaign, Net-Zu’s ambition is to become the go-to platform for seamless creative connections.

De-risking innovative ideas with Innovate UK support

Angus Young, founder of Net-Zu, said: “The company went through an investment process a little bit backwards to the traditional way, we first wanted to source and speak to high-net worths and angel investors first. From there I was made aware of Innovate UK and what they offered through the programmes and how Net-Zu ticks those boxes and how Innovate UK ticks our boxes. The Create Growth Programme was the one that really hit home with what we are trying to achieve.” 

The Create Growth Programme funding was allocated towards the platform’s development and mitigating technical risks. This approach played a crucial role in de-risking the investment process for Net-Zu investors, providing them with a clearer understanding and confidence in the growth potential of the platform.

Angus said: “Because it’s the government backing your initial concept, it makes everything a lot simpler. So you actually de-risk your overall start-up and the idea.”

The future

Angus adds: “One of the long-term opportunities from the growth side of things is that we want to work with Innovate UK and the government. We can help universities at that creative level in being able to implement our platform directly into the curriculum which then helps them to build their portfolios. It also gets them to see how the industry works and give them the stepping stones into the big players into the enterprise.”