ENTREPRENEURIAL Spark is rolling out its innovative approach to supporting early stage businesses south of the Border in a partnership with Royal Bank of Scotland's NatWest operation.
Flush with the apparent success of the three business hatcheries it has developed in Scotland, Entrepreneurial Spark plans to open eight business accelerator hubs across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The first hub is expected to open in Birmingham early in 2015. Others will follow in cities such as Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester and Belfast.
The hubs will offer the kind of support Entrepreneurial Spark has provided for hopefuls in Scotland.
This includes mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and accommodation in spaces where participants can network with other business owners.
Jim Duffy, who launched Entrepreneurial Spark with the backing of successful Scots entrepreneurs including Sir Tom Hunter, said the initiative has helped drive a huge upsurge in the number of new business incorporations.
He noted: "Better still those who go through our programmes have an 80 per cent survival rate which is way above average.
"Our shared vision with NatWest is to create an entrepreneurial revival across the UK and we can't wait to take our success story to benefit a wider audience."
Some 450 businesses have been through the Entrepreneurial Spark programme since the organisation was founded in 2011. It has centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayrshire.
Successful participants have included Leah Hutcheon, founder of online appointment booking software business Appointed. Ms Hutcheon raised £160,000 funding from business angels after completing the ESpark programme.
She said: ""Entrepreneurial Spark helped me to take my business from an idea to an investable, scalable and credible position and without doubt the input from Entrepreneurial Spark's enablement and mentor teams helped me to secure angel investment that will allow me to take my business to the next level."
Mr Duffy will oversee the hub programme. Entrepreneurial Spark will recruit employees in the new centres.
NatWest expects thousands of entrepreneurs to participate in the 18 month programmes that will be offered in the hubs. It will look to base these in existing banks premises where possible.
The bank said applicants will be welcomed from any sector. They do not need to be customers of NatWest or Royal Bank.
Participants will be able to compete for growth awards worth up to £50,000 and pitch to potential investors. Applications are open for the Birmingham hub.
Alison Rose, chief executive of Commercial and Private Banking at NatWest, said: "We have a trusted partner in Entrepreneurial Spark and together we can really make a difference to those businesses at the start of their journey."
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