Start Up update January 2012

The beginning of the New Year often brings new resolutions and new starts. A lot of people take stock over the Christmas break, and finally look into developing the business ideas they have been thinking about for years!

LEAP

There is an exciting two years ahead for many of those considering starting up a new business in Pennine Lancashire, thanks to our new Pennine LEAP scheme. LEAP will provide £1.8 million into start-up support, providing 300 new businesses with business coaching and mentoring support to help get them going, and will be launched in February.

The Pennine Lancashire Youth Enterprise Fund is another service that will benefit young people starting up in the next few years. It will provide £1000 or £2000 worth of funding to people aged 14-25 that show a flair for enterprise or entrepreneurial behaviour. We launched the service in December with the Community Foundation forLancashire.

ISUS

We were responsible for the delivery of the Intensive Start Up Support scheme (ISUS) on behalf of the North West Development Agency between September 2009 and December 2011. ISUS provided start-up advice, workshops and business mentoring to new businesses in Pennine Lancashire for up to three years of trading. In total, ISUS supported 726 new business starts and led to the creation of 937 new jobs in the area. This included 107 new construction businesses, 101 retail businesses and 68 digital & creative companies.

ISUS was supported by the European Regional Development Fund, NWDA Single Programme, Lancashire County Council and Pennine Lancashire local authority districts.

Business Support Directory

Regenerate also promotes an online business finance and service directory, which includes a wide variety of support for new businesses in Pennine Lancashire, from raising finance to coaching support. Why not run a quick search here to see what is available?

We hope you have a great 2012!

Rona McFall
Enterprise and Employment Manager, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire