Stage School Software, developer of a custom-built platform designed to manage all aspects of theatre and dance school administration, has secured a £200,000 loan from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund via appointed fund manager, The FSE Group.
This funding will accelerate the company’s growth by supporting further software development, marketing initiatives, and staff hires.
Stage School Software’s Enrolio app offers a comprehensive solution that streamlines theatre and dance school management by handling tasks such as signing up students for trial classes, converting them to regular clients, and processing fees automatically. The platform also simplifies communication with students and parents through its unified messaging system.
Chris Witham, the founder and CEO of Stage School Software, is also the owner of the well-established Swish of the Curtain Theatre School, which has been operating in Christchurch in Dorset since 1991 and now has several franchises across the south of England.
Chris set up Stage School Software in 2023 to create an app that would meet the needs of Swish’s franchisees, while also serving as an effective resource for the wider performing arts sector.
"This support is instrumental," said Chris Witham. "As an early-stage business with a limited track record, Stage School Software is not currently in a position to obtain high-street funding. FSE was able to see the potential of the business across the franchise base and beyond, agreeing to the South West Investment Fund loan and completing the deal just seven days later. I look forward to working with FSE in the future."
The Enrolio platform is evolving from its initial Swish franchisee app into a white-labelled offering, allowing both Swish and non-Swish schools to create branded environments with custom domains, flexible payment setups, multi-parent support, and scalable infrastructure.
Rob Ward, Investment Manager at The FSE Group, stated: "This is a great opportunity to fund a business that has emerged from a well-established company. Chris knows the sector so well, and his experience and connections are invaluable. He knows how to create an offering that is both wanted and needed by the performing arts sector and is providing these businesses with the tools they need to succeed."
Paul Jones, Senior Investment Manager from the British Business Bank added: “Chris has come a long way from collecting pound coins from stage students in chilly parish halls in the 1990s to a well established performing arts franchise today. Stage School Software is a natural extension of that, applying digital innovation to remove administrative chores for theatre and dance schools across the UK. We hope support from the South West Investment Fund raises the curtain on the next stage of growth.”
The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. It offers a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million.
The fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.