Searching to find Lancashire’s best new business idea

We are proud to be supporting an exciting competition to find Lancashire’s best new business idea.

We have joined forces with Boost Business Lancashire, the county’s £7.2m growth hub, and Winning Pitch, specialist provider of high growth coaching services, in the contest which is part of a wider initiative to support fledgling firms in the county.

We will be offering Lancashire’s most promising start-up business six months’ free office space at our Coppull Enterprise Centre in Chorley or Lomeshaye Business Village in Nelson. The winner will also receive a free laptop computer, donated by Winning Pitch.

Free business support

It is hoped the competition will encourage more ‘pre-start’ businesses to access free business support available through Boost’s Lancashire LEAP programme.

Entrants will take part in Lancashire LEAP, delivered by Winning Pitch and Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, which is a comprehensive business support package designed to help start-ups establish themselves. It consists of four one-day bootcamps, plus business coaching and mentoring to help the start-ups develop their final business plan. On completion of the LEAP programme, the entrants’ business plans will be judged by a panel of business experts and the winner will be selected.

Tim Smith, senior consultant at Winning Pitch, says: “There are many people out there with great ideas, but it can be difficult to turn these into a viable business without the right support. Flying Start has been designed to encourage more people to seek out that free support, with the chance for three businesses to get extra help in the shape of free office space if their business plans are judged the best.”

Bizspace’s sales and marketing director, Emma Long, who will help judge the entries, adds: “As a company that deals often with small and start-up businesses, we know it takes courage and self-belief to overcome the potential risks involved in running your own business. Having access to free, high-quality office space will hopefully help some of the county’s brightest business brains turn their idea into a successful business.”

Growing the economy

Boost Business Lancashire (Boost) is the £7.2m Lancashire Business Growth Hub, led by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership. The aim of Boost is to grow the county’s economy by £20m and create at least 1,200 new jobs and safeguard 700 more by 2015. Boost also helps businesses access specialist private sector business support, as well as other nationally funded programmes, where relevant.

Andy Walker, head of business growth and innovation at Lancashire County Council, says: “Lancashire LEAP is helping start-ups across the county to realise their potential, creating growth and jobs. This competition will hopefully make more businesses aware of the excellent array of free support on offer in Lancashire.”

To be eligible for entry in the competition entrants agree that their new business will:

• be based in Lancashire
• trade with other businesses (i.e. They are not a retail businesses or one selling directly to consumers)
• be able to turnover at least £250,000 in three years’ time and/or employ five people.

We will also be offering the second and third placed businesses three months and two months free office space respectively.

Good luck to all start-up businesses taking part!