Prime Highlights-
- FAW partners with TownSq to grow business ties across Novira Cymru Leagues.
- Gareth Jones says partnership brings SMEs closer to the heart of Welsh football.
Key Facts-
- TownSq runs Startup Club, Accelerator and Bootcamp programmes for founders.
- Jack Sharp says community sits at the heart of leagues’ development plans.
Background-
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has partnered with entrepreneurship specialists Town Square Spaces Ltd, known as TownSq, to help Novira Cymru Leagues clubs expand their business offerings within local communities.
TownSq, a B Corp, builds communities across the UK that drive business growth through collaboration, support and leadership. The company provides workspaces through hubs across Wales and England and, through TownSq Business Support, guides founders from initial ideas through to launch, investment and growth.
The partnership will see TownSq work closely with clubs across the Novira Cymru Leagues to strengthen their offering to local, regional and national business communities.
Gareth Jones, CEO of TownSq, said the collaboration brings SMEs and Welsh businesses closer to the heart of football in Wales through the Cymru Leagues. He pointed to major milestones ahead for Welsh football, including the relaunch of the Cymru Premier, hopes of representation at the Women’s World Cup in Brazil, and the men’s EURO 2028 in Cardiff, adding that Welsh football can capitalise on these opportunities and help more SMEs join the team shaping this sporting history.
TownSq runs several business clubs each year, including Startup Club for people building a business while keeping their current job, TownSq Accelerator to fast-track growing businesses, and Bootcamps to build enterprise skills.
Jack Sharp, FAW Head of Domestic Leagues, said TownSq’s objectives align closely with the FAW’s ambition to place community at the heart of the Novira Cymru Leagues’ development.
He said clubs have already begun engaging with local and national businesses, and the partnership aims to unlock further potential and create a distinctive offering across Wales for clubs and their communities.