press releases
Extra Help For New Entrepreneurs
MORE aspiring entrepreneurs will receive help from industry experts to get their business ideas off the ground – thanks to extra funding from regional development agency One NorthEast.
The agency has approved an additional £1.9m grant over three years to expand work by the region’s Entrepreneurs Forum, some of which will be used to build on its successful mentoring programme to link people starting their own businesses with support and advice from experienced entrepreneurs.
The cash will also fund practical workshops and seminars for people thinking about starting their own business and those who’ve recently established an enterprise, and for providing support and advice from successful entrepreneurs via interactive websites, podcasting and instant messaging.
The Forum – established by the region’s leading entrepreneurs in 2002 – works to create an enterprising culture in the region, support new and developing businesses and help those in difficulty. In all, this three year project will directly support more than 1,700 businesses and work with more than 2,000 people.
One NorthEast’s Director of Business and Industry, Ian Williams, said: “Encouraging more people in the North East to consider enterprise as an option is a key part of the region’s drive to create up to 22,000 new businesses and get 70,000 more people into work by 2016.
“We need a real step change to make that happen. We have many successful entrepreneurs in the North East who are extremely well-placed to inspire others, and willing to give their time and energy to offer coaching and guidance to those who are just starting out. We have to make the most of that valuable resource, which is the equivalent of significant private sector investment for the region.
“This grant will help the Entrepreneurs Forum to expand and build on the strong work it is already doing with new technologies and tailored mentoring, to get the expertise of existing entrepreneurs across to those who are considering their own start up.”
Carole Beverley, Chief Executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, said, ‘Peer-to-peer support is the foundation of our work at the Entrepreneurs’ Forum. It’s about bringing together like-minded individuals, all practitioners and experts in their own field, to share practical experience and wisdom.
“The Forum a not-for-profit organisation and provides a genuinely non-trading environment where our members give their valuable time altruistically, but in the knowledge that they can learn as much as they can impart.
“Our mentoring programme is only six months old and already over half our members are actively engaged. This additional funding will enable us to build on this successful model and our unique programme of events, extending the significant benefits to inspire and support a far wider entrepreneurial community across the region.
“There is no better way to learn than from those who have been there and done it. After all, success as they say breeds success.”
The expanded project is part of the agency’s work under the Regional Economic Strategy to stimulate the significant number of new enterprises that will be needed if the region is to increase its number of VAT registered businesses to reach the national average of 90% gross value added (GVA) per head of population by 2016.
That work includes:
Promoting enterprise as a concept
Supporting individuals and teams to develop their enterprise ideas, skills and tools
Providing businesses with high quality, targeted advice, solutions and support
The expanded programme will be delivered and managed by the Entrepreneurs Forum, working closely with Business Link North East and other providers such as the Universities’ Graduate Enterprise Programmes.
The three year project will be completed in 2010.
Back