Last call for Scotland's new business stars
05/02/2007
"There's no doubt that there's a wealth of start-up potential in Scotland. What the nation's next generation of entrepreneurs is often lacking is the business acumen to develop their ideas."
The Starter for 6 project will build the enterprise skills of up to 300 new entrepreneurs over three years, working in Scotland across all business sectors.
Led by NESTA, in partnership with the Six Cities Design Festival and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Starter for 6 will provide business support, mentoring and the opportunity to apply for a start-up grant of up to £10,000.
Open to any fledgling entrepreneur in Scotland with an innovative business idea, the initiative will provide invaluable support at the start up phase. Having already received a flood of applications from across Scotland, organisers are calling for any final contenders to apply.
The deadline for applications closes next week, on Monday, 12 February. With up to 100 people per year set to go through the training sessions, places on the programme will be awarded on a competitive basis.
Acknowledging that not every entrepreneur has the optimum business idea or team to assist that business, Starter for 6 sets out to provide a tailored programme of training and support, which includes four intensive days of enterprise training. After the training, participants maintain contact with each other and their trainer, and will be given coursework to complete. They will also have access to coaching over the phone.
Training activity will focus on six city areas: Stirling, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness, although applications will be accepted from any part of Scotland. Allocation of start-up grants will be based on the quality of the idea, its business potential and the strength of the proposed business team.
For aspiring entrepreneurs who want help applying for the scheme, there will be a series of organised workshops, which will give applicants the opportunity to meet others, share ideas and generate and refine business concepts.
The 'Idea Generation' workshops start in Dundee on 6th February, Glasgow, 7th February, Inverness, 8th February, and finishing up in Edinburgh on 10th February.
Commenting on the initiative, Helen Gresty, NESTA executive director of Innovation Programmes said: "There's no doubt that there's a wealth of start-up potential in Scotland. What the nation's next generation of entrepreneurs is often lacking is the business acumen to develop their ideas.
"Starter for 6 promises to equip these individuals with the skills and networks they need to develop successful businesses and I would urge anyone with aspirations of running their own venture to apply".
You can find out more about how to apply or sign-up for a Starter for 6 workshop on our website.
For further information, please contact Stephanie Robertson on 01333 451 122 or 07919 447 231 or at stephanie@crail.sol.co.uk
The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) is working to transform the UK's capacity for innovation. Our endowed funds of over £300m allow us to be a genuine risk-funder, to take a longer-term view and invest in the most promising new ideas and ventures. Underpinning our work is the fundamental view that successful innovation fuels long-term economic and social progress, and is an essential ingredient to the UK maintaining its competitive edge in the global market place.
The Six Cities Design Festival
The Six Cities Design Festival is an initiative aimed at unlocking Scotland's creativity and innovation as a means of competing in the global marketplace; developing a future for design in Scotland through education and early business investment; increasing public engagement with design in its broadest definition.
There are three key strands to the Six Cities Design initiative: developing the use of design and creativity in business,; raising awareness of design through education programmes; increasing public engagement with design through a three week Festival to be held simultaneously in Scotland's six cities May/June 2007.
The Six Cities Design Festival is a project developed and managed by The Lighthouse, Scotland's National Centre for Architecture, Design and the City, and is funded by the Scottish Executive.
For all media enquiries relating to the Six Cities Design initiative contact Lesley Booth on 0779 941 4474 or lesley.booth@newcenturypr.com
Highlands & Islands Enterprise
Highlands & Islands Enterprise activities include: provision of business support services, delivery of training and learning programmes, assistance for community and cultural projects and measures for environmental renewal. These activities are primarily delivered by our nine Local Enterprise Companies (LECs).