Entrepreneurs with ideas to spark their businesses into life are being offered access to specialist training at the University of South Wales (USW) in the new year.
The second round of Newport Business Development workshops, delivered by USW Startup Stiwdio, in partnership with Welsh ICE (Innovation Centre for Enterprise), are set to start on 16 January.
While the first programme was aimed exclusively at entrepreneurs in the Creative Industries, the second is open to those with a new business idea in any sector – from fashion, beauty and fintech, to food and beverage.
To maximise inclusion and widen engagement, it is specifically targeting applicants from a global majority background, those who are D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, non-binary, or from any socially, educationally, or economically disadvantaged background.
Delivered at USW’s bespoke Newport Engagement Hub, participants will have the opportunity to network with other businesses in the space and expand their connections organically, in and around the timetabled workshops and mentoring held each Thursday. Meanwhile, specialist support will be available from the likes of Capital Law, Llama Accounting and Gambit/ Mode Insurance.
Attendees will also have the chance to meet the previous cohort of entrepreneurs, all of whom will be offered a place at the Startup Stiwdio co-working space when they successfully complete the programme, at the end of November.
There are 15 community entrepreneurs taking part in the current creative industries programme and its is hoped that they will inspire the next round of entrepreneurs and build the foundations of a supportive and collaborative community, alongside graduate entrepreneurs already based in the Hub.
The programmes are delivered with funding from Newport City Council, via the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, and are part of the local authority’s focus on growing its startup economy.
Incubator Manager Richie Turner said:
“We’ve now run two successful creative industries-focused startup development programmes in the past year and felt we should expand our scope and help those who may have previously been excluded from startup initiatives and widen the scope to all sectors.”
The full timetable and link to the application form can be found here. For an informal discussion, email stiwdio@southwales.ac.uk
