Welcome to Striding Out!

The North West Fund

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:10:11 +0000

The North West Fund is a £184.8m evergreen investment fund established to provide debt and equity funding to small and medium sized enterprises in the North West of England.

Between 2010 and 2015 the Fund is expected to create/safeguard almost 14,000 jobs and improve the economic performance of England’s Northwest with an estimated GVA increase of £700m.

The North West Fund is the umbrella name for the 6 funds that are now available to Northwest businesses in the form of debt, equity and quasi-equity. These funds are managed by 6 fund managers under contract with NWBF. NWBF oversees the delivery of the Fund, under the European Investment Bank’s Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises (JEREMIE) Initiative, in England’s Northwest.

Visit www.thenorthwestfund.co.uk

Ideas Fund Green

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:21:10 +0000

IdeasTap are offering £5,000 to eight IdeasTap members to realise creative projects that either address green issues or are produced in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Ideas Fund Green is open to IdeasTap members aged 16-25 who are resident in the UK.

Theyre’re looking for ideas that offer exciting new angles on climate change - or new ways to make art in an eco-friendly fashion. It doesn’t matter what medium you work in - from film to theatre, photography to visual arts, music to poetry - Ideas Fund Green is open to all creative disciplines. The key is innovation. As with all issue-based art, the danger is coming across as worthy – and we don’t want that. Our challenge to you is to come up with original, thought-provoking ideas and techniques that will inspire people, not lecture them.

Click here to enter

Deadline: 9th August 2010

The Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards 2010

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:40:06 +0000

The Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards were established in 2007 and are designed to encourage entrepreneurship in the North West and North Wales - whether in new businesses, young entrepreneurs, social enterprises or charities.

The 2010 Awards are now open for entries and you can apply any time before the closing date of 10th September.

Over and above the £110,000 of cash prizes, the winners and runners up also receive valuable professional services from the sponsors and supporters of the Awards.

Click here to apply.

Shell Springboard

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:35:56 +0000

Shell Springboard is now open for the sixth round of applications, for small businesses who have an innovative product or service that will help address climate change.

Since the launch of Shell Springboard in 2005, £1.6million has been awarded to 43 businesses across the UK. Applications are now being accepted for eight £40,000 awards which will be awarded in 2011.

Apply online www.shellspringboard.org

by 5pm on the 5th November 2010

Peter Jones £10,000 Challenge

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:50:00 +0000

Dragon’s Den star Peter Jones is launching the Enterprise Business Challenge. As part of his commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial talent, and improving the UK economy, the competition aims to find the best business idea in the UK today.

The winner will be provided with support including working capital. Supported by the small business e-commerce company and Alibaba.com, it gives entrants the chance to win a £10,000 grant for their business as well as ten hours of Legal, Accountancy, International Trading Advice, PR and HR advice including Employment Law and Health & Safety matters from leading companies.

Entry is free and entries will be accepted until Friday 2nd July 2010. For more information on the challenge and how to take part, read here.

Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2010

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:47:14 +0000

Disabled entrepreneurs who have started businesses throughout the UK are being urged to enter the Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2010. The annual scheme, run by Leonard Cheshire Disability and sponsored by easyGroup chairman Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, is now in its fourth year. A top prize of £50,000 will be given to the winner in November.

Closing date for entries is Friday 3 September. For more information on how to enter visit here .

Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2010

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:44:27 +0000

If you're aged 16-30 and have been running your own business for more than 3 months but less than 18 months, our annual competition could see you walk away with a £10,000 cash injection plus support from top PR agency Blue Rubicon at our award final taking place in London on 13th October 2010.

So, if you think you've got what it takes to be our Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010, please click here to apply .

Deadline for entries is 5pm on 6th September 2010.

Funding Circle - Open For Business

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:41:48 +0000

Funding Circle - Open For Business

The British public has defied banks and lent £1m to the UK’s small businesses via Funding Circle (www.fundingcircle.com) in its first ten weeks. Funding Circle is the UK’s first ever online marketplace where people can directly lend to small businesses.

The social lending platform’s success highlights the pent up demand for affordable finance from small businesses and the desire from consumers for better rates of interest on their money than available from banks.

Upturn Funding for Business

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:41:48 +0000

Do you want to develop and grow your business?
Have you been affected by the recession?
Do you need support to create solutions for your business?

If you answered yes to these questions then Upturn has the ideal opportunity for you. Upturn, a unit within London Metropolitan University has funding to support a small number of people who want to ensure the ongoing success of their business. The course helps you to identify any problems within the business and create appropriate solutions. As part of the course, you will also receive 1:2:1 Business Mentoring.

The course starts on Thursday 15 July 2010 and will be delivered at London Metropolitan University, 84 Moorgate, EC2M 6SQ. If you are interested, please call 020 7320 1383 or email [email protected].

HSBC London Business Awards

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:21:23 +0000

The London Business Awards 2010 in association with HSBC, will be taking place on the 24th November 2010 at Planit Embankment Gardens. The categories are open for entry until the 17th of September 2010. For information on how to enter this year’s awards, please visit their website here .