Dumfries and Galloway scheme to help new entrepreneurs gets £1.5 million boost
A programme aiming to help people in Dumfries and Galloway turn their business ideas into reality has received a £1.5 million funding boost.
The South of Scotland Enterprise Pathways Pre-Start programme awarded grants of up to £1,000 to nearly 400 people during a successful pilot last year.
It also offered specialist coaching to hundreds of existing or potential business founders to help them with their business ideas and build confidence.
The Scottish Government has now allocated the pilot a further £1.5 million so it can continue this year.
It's part of a £6 million investment that aims to focus on supporting women and other under-represented groups to become entrepreneurs.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: 'A successful, vibrant economy needs high-growth, innovative start-up businesses and that in turn is reliant on supporting and nurturing business talent – talent which I know lies in every corner of our country.
'I am determined to break down any and all barriers for any business-minded person who wants to start or develop their business idea or company, and this incredibly successful Pathways pilot run by South of Scotland Enterprise has illustrated how effective pre-start intervention can be.
'Three in four of those who accessed the programme's coaching services said that the things that previously held them back from starting a business were no longer barriers. This is a powerful illustration of the pilot's success and I am delighted to support its continuation for a further year as part of our commitment to deliver the recommendations of the Pathways report and tackle under-representation in business.'
South of Scotland Enterprise chief executive, Jane Morrison-Ross, said: 'The goal of Pathways was to support the ambitions of new and under-represented founders across thesouth of Scotland, by reaching people with fantastic ideas but who did not think of themselves as entrepreneurs.
'We worked with 269 women and people from other under-represented groups to create over 100 new, innovative businesses.
'With the support of the Scottish Government, we will now take this further, unlocking the fantastic potential in the south, breaking more barriers to growth and unleashing the power of the rural economy.'
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