About Us

Start strong. Grow with purpose. Thrive with impact.

Our History

Cool Ventures was founded in 2011 by Sue Marchant and Roger Wilkins with one clear mission: to provide practical, high-quality, bespoke business advice to the people behind local businesses. Roger retired in 2018, but their original vision lives on. Today Cool Ventures is proud to be one of the leading providers of fully funded business support for pre-start and established businesses across the West of England.

We are a small, dedicated team, supported by a trusted network of experienced business experts who share our passion for making a real difference. Together, we care deeply about the businesses we support and believe that high-quality, practical support should be accessible to everyone – wherever they are on their journey.

At Cool Ventures, we’re all about empowering business owners, building confidence, and making a real difference to the businesses and communities that we serve through providing fully funded training and 1-2-1 expert business support.

OUR MISSION

Start strong. Grow with purpose. Thrive with impact. Empowering Entrepreneurs.

At Cool Ventures, we put our clients first – listening, understanding, and delivering support that genuinely makes a difference.

We embrace innovation and continuous improvement, always looking for better ways to help businesses thrive. We act with integrity and respect, creating an inclusive, trusted environment for everyone we work with. And we’re committed to strengthening our local communities and protecting the environment, reducing our own footprint and helping others do the same.

MEET THE COOL VENTURES TEAM

SUE MARCHANT

Managing Director

Sue heads up our team and oversees the running of the Company. In addition, she provides advice in strategic planning, business planning and finance for businesses.

SANDRA MERRELL

Operations Manager

One of Sandy’s most important responsibilities is maintaining contact with our clients by following up on enquiries and identifying their support needs.

She is also a project coordinator for our new programme, “HR Essentials.

KAT DAWE SCHMEISSER

Business Support and Community Engagement Officer

Kat is our new B&NES Business Support and Community Engagement Officer. Alongside her role at Cool Ventures, she runs her own creative business, The Art Cohort. With her passion for supporting local communities and first-hand experience as a business owner, Kat brings valuable insight and energy to the team.

JACKIE BARTON

Administrator

Jackie is our dedicated administrator, handling a wide range of office duties, from data processing to coordinating day-to-day communications with our clients. Her efficiency and attention to detail ensure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

MEGAN MICHAEL

Admin & Marketing Aprentice

Megan is our enthusiastic admin and marketing apprentice. She supports a range of office tasks and assists with marketing efforts, bringing fresh energy and new ideas to the team. Eager to learn and grow, Megan is quickly developing her skills and becoming an invaluable part of our business.

Introducing our business experts and dedicated client programmne co-ordinators who help us to deliver workshops, mentoring, and1-2-1 coaching

Meet the Experts

How Does it Work?

Our support programmes are completely free to access, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, giving you up to 12 hours of fully funded business support.

You’re eligible if you or your business is based within the South Gloucestershire or Bath & North East Somerset Council areas. A full address and UTR number will be needed when you register.

Bath & North East Somerset Business Support is open to residents, small business owners, sole traders, small third-sector organisations, and community groups.

South Gloucestershire Business Support is open to residents, small businesses, sole traders, and small third-sector organisations with a trading arm.

Check out our FAQ's