Business Problems Made Simple: A Design Thinking Workshop for SMEs

About the Workshop

This Design Sprint for SMEs is a hands-on workshop where you’ll work on live business challenges in small groups.

You’ll learn how to:

• Understand the Design Thinking Mindset
• Generate bold but practical solutions
• Test Ideas Quickly & Cheaply
• Apply a repeatable innovation process to your own organisation

By the end, you’ll leave with new skills, fresh thinking, and a toolkit you can use straight away to solve problems and drive growth.

About Naomi Timperley

This session is led by Naomi Timperley FRSA, Innovation Director, mentor, and experienced design sprint practitioner. Naomi is one of the UK’s most influential voices in technology and innovation, named 2nd Most Influential Woman in UK Tech 2024 by Computer Weekly. With over 15 years’ experience supporting startups, scale-ups, and SMEs, she is a highly respected growth and innovation consultant, board advisor, and mentor.

Naomi is a certified Design Sprint facilitator, trained by AJ&Smart, and has delivered sprints and innovation programmes across a wide range of sectors. She has mentored hundreds of businesses through digital transformation, innovation adoption, and strategy development, helping leaders rapidly test ideas, solve complex challenges, and unlock new growth opportunities.

As Co-Founder of Tech North Advocates, Naomi has been a driving force in amplifying regional tech ecosystems, connecting ambitious businesses with the partners, investors, and expertise they need to succeed. She also serves as Innovation Director at Merseyway Innovation Centre and holds an honorary fellowship at Salford Business School.

Passionate about the power of collaboration and experimentation, Naomi empowers SMEs to use tools like design sprints to tackle challenges, embrace new technologies, and build future-ready organisations.

Naomi’s combination of practical sprint expertise, national tech-ecosystem reach and long-standing SME mentorship ensures every minute of the workshop delivers value.

Who should attend?

This workshop is ideal for:

• Priority will be given to businesses not previously supported by the GMFEIP fund
• SME owners and leaders
• Managers responsible for growth, product, or service delivery
• Teams who want to embed innovation into their everyday work

What you’ll take away

• A practical innovation toolkit you can apply immediately
• Confidence to test and develop new ideas quickly
• Fresh ways of thinking to uncover hidden opportunities
• New contacts and connections with like-minded businesses

CHOOSE YOUR PREFERRED DATE and LOCATION:

21 Oct 2025 Trafford College, Manchester Road, Timperley, WA14 5PQ

OR

22 Oct 2025 for Stockport College, Wellington Road South, Stockport SK1 3UQ

9.30am for refreshments for a 10am start. 1pm finish.

BOOSTING YOUR BUSINESS, TOGETHER

Please note: These fully funded GMFEIP events are sponsored by Innovate UK and GM Colleges to support business innovation in Greater Manchester.
Priority will be given to
/ SMEs based in Trafford and Stockport, as they are the main focus of this programme
/ Businesses who have not yet received support from the GMFEIP fund

Additionally, spaces are limited to a maximum of 2 attendees per business, but we’ll do our best to accommodate additional places if availability allows.