Financial support and expert advice are on offer to budding entrepreneurs in Westmorland and Furness.
Anybody with a business idea but who is unsure how to start turning their vision into a reality is eligible for help from Cumbria Accelerator – the comprehensive business start-up and support programme run by Enterprising Cumbria after a grant of up to £1,630,000 from Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Enterprising Cumbria – supported by Westmorland and Furness Council and Cumberland Council – has taken on the function and purpose of the previous Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and provide a powerful voice for a diverse array of businesses across the Cumbrian footprint, building upon the work of the CLEP in supporting economic growth, investing in skills, and promoting Cumbria as a great place to live, work, and do business.
Administered by Westmorland and Furness Council, the Shared Prosperity Fund and UK Rural England Prosperity Fund shared £8.1 million among 22 projects with the aim of improving pride in place and increase life chances by investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
Available only until January 2025, Cumbria Accelerator's start-up programme includes:
- £500 funding that doesn’t need to be paid back;
- One-to-one advice from industry experts;
- Tailored support to navigate the local business landscape.
Cumbria Accelerator also provides support to anybody in Westmorland and Furness looking to take their business to the next level, whether they are a freelancer looking to scale or an established business aiming for new heights.
The tailored, fully-funded one-to-one mentoring from experts who understand the unique challenges of the Cumbrian market includes advice on:
- From solo to scalable: Guidance to turn freelancing into an emerging business with employees;
- New start-ups: Realising your vision for the next stage in your growth; removing the blockers holding your business back;
- Emerging businesses: Scale new heights with one-to-one mentorship and specialist advice on common challenge areas such as finance, skills and sustainable growth;
- Established businesses: Strategic support to expand your horizons, break into new markets and continue growing your profitability.
Councillor Virginia Taylor, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Communities and Localities, said: "Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to stimulating sustainable, inclusive, economic growth and it is great to see Enterprising Cumbria doing a tremendous job using their UK SPF grant to deliver a co-ordinated, business-friendly service that is easy to navigate.
"I urge anybody who is eager to start up a new business, or who has recently done so and wants to take the next steps towards developing and growing their business, to take the opportunities on offer through Cumbria Accelerator."
Paul Foster, Head of Programmes at Enterprising Cumbria said: "The funding and advice for budding entrepreneurs can ensure that everyone thinking of becoming self-employed or running a business has the best chance of making a success of their new venture. Running a business can be extremely rewarding but its important to take external advice and support to make sure you are accessing everything you can, and often its difficult to navigate everything that is out there. Our advisers are knowledgeable and experienced and can be a great resource to help a business overcome challenges or look to grow. The programme is fully-funded so the only commitment is the time to meet one of our team and access the support.”
To enquire about a place on this programme contact business support programme manager Leslie Rickerby at leslie.rickerby@enterprisingcumbria.org.uk or by calling 07920 877545.