Discover. Develop. Make It Happen.

Ever wondered what you could create?

Perhaps you’ve had a business idea sitting in the back of your mind for years. Perhaps you’ve thought about working for yourself, turning an interest into an income or simply trying something different.

Or perhaps you haven’t got an idea at all. Just a feeling that there might be something more you could do.

Matchez Works gives you twelve weeks to find out.

You’ll explore ideas, test possibilities and discover what it takes to create your own work or business. Along the way, you’ll learn by doing, supported by experienced people and others on the same journey.

Our founding programme begins in February 2027.

Every business begins with an idea, but having an idea is only the beginning.

Who would buy what you’re offering? How would you reach them? What would you need to charge? And how could you discover whether your idea might actually work?

Matchez Works helps you explore these questions through practical experience, one step at a time.

You might finish with a business you’re ready to launch, an idea you want to develop further or a clearer understanding of what you’d like to do next.

Whatever the outcome, you’ll have learnt something useful about business, opportunities and yourself.

Matchez Works follows three stages, each lasting four weeks. You’ll work on your own ideas, take part in practical activities and gradually develop something you can test in the real world.

1. Discover

Weeks 1–4: Explore your strengths and possibilities.

We begin with you. What do you enjoy? What are you good at? What have you learnt through work, education, hobbies or everyday life? What problems do you notice that you might be able to solve?

During Discover, you’ll explore:

• Your strengths, interests and capabilities.
• Different ways of creating your own work.
• Problems people and businesses need help solving.
• How to identify and choose an idea worth pursuing.

Your goal: Identify an idea worth exploring and develop a clearer understanding of what you could offer.

2. Develop

Weeks 5–8: Turn your idea into something people might value.

An idea is a starting point. The next step is finding out whether it could work.

You’ll learn how to understand potential customers, develop a product or service and test your thinking before committing significant time or money.

During Develop, you’ll explore:

• Who your potential customers might be.
• What they need and why they might choose your offer.
• How to test your idea and learn from feedback.
• How pricing, costs and income affect whether an idea is viable.

Your goal: Develop and test your proposition, gaining a better understanding of its potential.

3. Make It Happen

Weeks 9–12: Take practical steps towards your next opportunity.

Now it’s time to bring everything together.

You’ll explore how to find customers, communicate what you offer, organise your activities and understand the responsibilities of running a small business.

During Make It Happen, you’ll explore:

• How to reach and engage potential customers.
• Ways to promote your product or service.
• The practicalities of organising and running a business.
• How to create a realistic plan for your next steps.

Your goal: Create a practical plan for taking your idea forward, informed by what you’ve discovered and learnt.

We’ll finish by bringing everyone together to share their experiences, reflect on their progress and celebrate what they’ve achieved.

Join the founding cohort waiting list

We believe the best way to learn how to do something is to have a go.

You’ll learn about customers by talking to potential customers. You’ll explore pricing by working out what your idea might cost and what people might pay. And you’ll learn how to test a business idea by actually testing one.

Each week, you’ll have something practical to explore, try or develop. You’ll learn from what happens, share your experiences and build on what you’ve discovered.

The aim is to leave each session with something useful you can put into practice.

Matchez Works combines twelve weekly online sessions with practical activities, opportunities to learn from experienced people and a community of fellow participants.

Weekly live sessions

Join an interactive online session each week, exploring new ideas, working through examples and making progress on your own project.

Practical activities

Between sessions, you’ll have opportunities to put what you’ve learnt into practice, from exploring business ideas to speaking with potential customers and testing your thinking.

Coaching and mentoring

Benefit from guidance, encouragement and opportunities to learn from people with experience of business and entrepreneurship.

Optional skills workshops

Explore complementary topics such as communication, presentation skills, digital tools, administration and other capabilities that could help you along the way.

A learning community

Share your experiences, ask questions, exchange ideas and support other participants as you develop your opportunities together.

Matchez Works brings together people with different backgrounds, experiences and ambitions.

You might be exploring your first business idea, drawing on years of professional experience or discovering how an interest could become an opportunity.

You can develop an idea independently or alongside someone else. What matters is your curiosity, willingness to participate and openness to learning from others.

One of the most valuable parts of learning something new is meeting other people who are exploring their own possibilities.

You’ll be learning alongside people with different experiences and ideas. Someone might help you think through a problem, introduce a useful perspective or recognise a possibility you hadn’t considered. And you might find that your own experience is exactly what someone else needs.

When the twelve weeks finish, your learning doesn’t have to.

We’re building Matchez Academy as a continuing learning community, where participants can stay connected, share their progress, develop new capabilities and help others along the way.

Part of Matchez Academy

Matchez Works is a programme from Matchez Academy, our learning and professional development community.

The Academy helps people become more capable, more confident and more connected through practical learning, shared experiences and meaningful relationships.

It’s part of Matchez, a business working to improve how people develop their capabilities, discover opportunities and build their working lives.

Matchez Works puts that philosophy into practice, helping people turn their interests, ideas and capabilities into new opportunities.

Do I need a business idea?

No. We’ll help you explore possibilities and identify an idea you’d like to develop.

Do I need previous business experience?

Not at all. The programme is designed to help you learn the fundamentals through practical experience.

Is the programme online?

Yes. The founding programme will be delivered through weekly live online sessions, supported by practical activities and opportunities to learn with other participants.

Can I participate with someone else?

You can explore an idea independently or with someone else. We’ll explain the participation arrangements when applications open.

What happens after the twelve weeks?

You’ll have a practical next-step plan, with opportunities to continue learning and connecting with others as the Matchez Academy community develops.

How much does it cost?

The full 12-week programme costs £150, including weekly live sessions, practical learning activities and access to the Matchez Works learning community.

We’re also working with partners to make a number of fully funded places available to eligible participants. We’ll share more information about availability and eligibility before applications open.

We’re launching the first Matchez Works cohort in February 2027, and we’re inviting people who want to explore their ideas, develop new capabilities and help us shape the programme from the beginning.

Our founding cohort will be small, giving everyone opportunities to participate, share their experiences and influence how the programme develops.

Join the waiting list and we’ll keep you informed, including when applications open in January.

Your next opportunity could start here.