Digital Boost
Expert volunteers supporting small businesses

Digital Boost is a community of passionate digital and business professionals committed to helping the people who work for and lead small and medium businesses (SMBs) and charities to learn digital skills so their organizations can grow.
Harnessing the power of the private sector to connect SMBs and charities with volunteer digital experts, workshops, and course recommendations, Digital Boost has brought together thousands of companies and aid organizations with volunteers who support them with digital marketing, e-commerce, website development, data analytics, money management, IT, and much more. Since its launch, thousands of mentoring sessions have been completed, with a high volume of people participating in digital skill-building workshops.
The Opportunity
With around 6 million SMBs operating in the UK alone, BCG Digital Ventures saw the opportunity to help ensure that smaller businesses keep pace with technology and ecommerce shifts through the pandemic and beyond.
From website building and online marketing to software implementation, small organizations were looking for a “boost” from experts who have done it all before. Equally important, involving at least 50% of people identifying as female and at least 20% of people from underserved ethnic backgrounds would bring about an exciting, truly inclusive economic recovery.
But the venture would have to be launched rapidly during the pandemic in order to gain strong early traction and position itself for future success and impact.
Industries
Social Impact
Regions
EMEA
Expertise
Education
Milestones & Accolades
Our Approach
Exploring Ways to Help
As lockdowns ensued, Digital Ventures ran an internal hack-a-future sprint in April 2020 to identify impactful opportunities to support the UK’s national COVID response, leading to the concept of Digital Boost.
Incubation and Partnering
Digital Boost was selected as a leading candidate for incubation, which took place between April and June 2020. Shortly thereafter, Digital Ventures partnered with educational charity Founders4Schools.
Launching and Scaling
By July 2020, Digital Boost was live in market. After launch, the focus shifted to hiring and onboarding a new team to take over the scaling of the organization.
The impact realized
8 weeks
From idea to impact, including a zero-budget multichannel launch campaign
1 year
Of operations funded at the outset
1K+ sign-ups
Within 2 weeks of launch
>2.3K volunteers
Registered to date have helped thousands of businesses and charities
6 FTEs
6 full-time employees
60+ interns
Involved in its first year
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We've helped the world's leading companies invent, launch, and scale innovative businesses that leverage and reinforce their core capabilities. Explore our portfolio of pioneering businesses that are creating value for our clients.
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We've helped the world's leading companies invent, launch, and scale innovative businesses that leverage and reinforce their core capabilities. Explore our portfolio of pioneering businesses that are creating value for our clients.