22/04/13

RGF funded business start-up and investment readiness programme looks to work with LEPs

 

Ready for Business were delighted to be represented at the recent LEP Network annual conference.  Ready for Business is a business start up  and investment readiness programme that will create 6,000 new businesses and up to 10,000 jobs across the country over the next two years.

The programme started late last year and already over 500 new businesses and almost 650 jobs have been created as a result.

The programme was launched following a successful £15 million investment from the Regional Growth Fund. The Ready for Business programme will be run by the National Enterprise Network (NEN) alongside six other enterprise support organisations and Barclays, who have invested a further £1 million.

The national programme specifically targets the transfer of public sector employment to the private sector. It offers a package of support to help the transition from employment to business start up, including one to one advice, mentoring, access to finance support and business planning.

The programme begins with an introductory free Barclays Get Ready for Business seminar, followed by an in depth assessment process, one to one advice, guidance and ongoing mentoring. The programme will also include a business planning phase, access to finance support and early stage growth aspiration building.

Alongside National Enterprise Network, the consortium includes six enterprise agencies from across the country – BBV in the North West, Business West in the South West, Enterprise First in the South East, NBV in the East Midlands, NWES in the East and TEDCO in the North East.  The programme will be delivered by the Cavendish Consortium and its partners, in association with Barclays. 

Dawn Whiteley, CEO of National Enterprise Agency and a member of The Cavendish Consortium said:

“The enterprise support organisations and partners involved in the delivery of the Ready for Business programme have vast experience and success in supporting pre start ups with business advisory and training services - in many cases built up over 30 years.  It is fantastic that we are now be able to increase our reach through this new RGF funded programme, using our proven expertise to offer a unique and dedicated support package to a large number of future start-ups. With the commitment made to this programme, Government has demonstrated the value it places on start-up businesses and the role they play in business growth. We are incredibly proud to have been successful in our bid to support additional start-ups through the development of this new programme. We are very keen to work with local enterprise partnerships in the delivery of this programme and it was particularly useful to be in attendance at the LEP Network Conference in order to progress some of those relationships.”

 Ready for Business is now running events across the country.  Interested parties can visit www.startupedge.co.uk for further information on the programme and to find out how to apply.

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