SETsquared Workshop: Building your First Board

OverviewFounders wear many hats but one of the most overlooked is that of a company director. This interactive workshop is designed to help founders understand the purpose, responsibilities, and practicalities of building and working with an effective board.

Led by Nick Sturge MBE, the session draws on real-world experience of founding, scaling and supporting hundreds of startups through growth, investment, and IPO. Whether you're a first-time founder thinking about your first non-exec, or a later-stage CEO looking to get more value from your board, this workshop will give you the clarity and confidence to move forward.

Who It's For– Early-stage founders wanting to understand when and why to build a board– Later-stage founders or CEOs looking to strengthen or evolve their current board– Investors, advisors, and non-executive directors who want to reflect on how to add more value– Startup ecosystem professionals supporting founder development

Agenda– The context: why boards matter for startups and scaleups– The many ‘hats’ of the founder: director, shareholder, manager– Board responsibilities: legal, strategic, and operational– Conformance vs performance: compliance and growth– What’s the point? The real value of a non-executive board– Board dynamics: diversity, collective responsibility, Chair-CEO relationship– Practicalities: agendas, hiring/firing, rewards, managing conflict– The evolving role of the board as the company scales– Q&A and peer learning

Learning OutcomesParticipants will leave with:– Clear insight into the purpose of a board at different business stages– Understanding of a founder's legal and strategic role as a director– Tools and prompts for making the most of board meetings– Clarity on the role and value of non-execs, observers, and Chairs– Practical next steps for building or evolving a board– Refreshed thinking for NEDs and advisors on how to add meaningful value.

FacilitatorNick Sturge MBENick brings deep experience as a founder, scale-up leader, and ecosystem builder. Following an IPO and FTSE listing with Motion Media Technology, he went on to grow the SETsquared incubator into a world-leading programme and founded Engine Shed to drive inclusive growth in the West of England. Nick now holds a range of NED, trustee and advisory roles spanning education, tech, property and regional development.