| The Access Partnership |  |
| • Size of business: |  |
| • Kind of funding: | Advice/Consultancy |
The Access Partnership is an established innovative training organisation which assists unemployed people to start their own business under the business start-up Training For Work Programme.
Eligible applicants must possess the relevant skills in the chosen business activity. All clients will receive appropriate business advice on a flexible basis through individual counselling and a friendly workshop environment. Participation is full time and free to participants with an allowance equivalent to current weekly benefit plus a £10 per week premium.
* The Access Partnership is an Equal Opportunities organisation.
CONTACT
The Access Partnership
Suite 25
John Cotton Business Centre
Edinburgh EH7 5RA
Tel: 0131 661 1555
Fax: 0131 661 1555
| British Venture Capital Association (BVCA) | |
| • Size of business: |  |
| • Kind of funding: | Advice |
The BVCA represents virtually every major source of venture capital in the UK (accounting for over 95%) of venture capital investment.
Today, the Association has 117 full members, plus associate members and honourary members. Full members are active in making equity investments in unquoted companies. Associates fall into two main groups: financial organisations who invest in venture capital, but only as a minor part of their overall activities and professional advisors who have some specialisation in the venture capital sector.
The BVCA provides a free annual Directory of Members which provides information about each member's investment preferences, to guide entrepreneurs to those venture capital companies most likely to be responsive to their needs.
Other publications include: A Guide to Venture Capital (which explains the venture capital process and assists with writing business plans); Sources of Business Angel Capital (lists UK services that introduce entrepreneurs looking for smaller amounts of venture capital to 'business angels' seeking investment opportunities); and Annual Report on Investment Activity.
CONTACT
Essex House
12-13 Essex Street
London WC2R 3AA
Tel: 0171 240 3846
Fax: 0171 240 3849
E-mail: bvca@bvca.co.uk
Website: http://www.bvca.co.uk
| The Business Environmental Partnership | |
See entry in
| The Business Improvement Programme | |
| • Size of business: |  |
| • Kind of funding: | Advice/Consultancy |
The Business Improvement Programme has been developed to assist small to medium-sized enterprises to focus, grow and develop using the Investors in People framework.
Prior to joining the Programme, companies will be visited by a business advisor who will discuss the challenges facing the business and then demonstrate what the Business Improvement Programme can do for that company. The company will decide if the Programme is suitable for them after a report is prepared making recommendations.
The Programme consists of a series of action-centred workshops including:
* Introduction
to the Programme
* Business Direction
and Goals
* Communication
* Managing Performance
* Developing Managers
* Training and Development
* Evaluation and
Introducing New Employees
Companies will then be given the opportunity to work towards the Investors in People (IIP) standard.
IIP is the UK national standard which sets out a level of good practice for improving an organisation's performance through its people. It seeks to secure good business performance and competitive advantage through a planned approach to setting and communicating business goals and developing people to meet these goals.
Eligible businesses
All Lothian-based businesses.
Scheme conditions
The Programme will run over a 12-month period and
businesses must sign up for the workshops. The cost of the Business Improvement
Programme is £500 + VAT.
CONTACT
Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited
Apex House
99 Haymarket Terrace
Edinburgh EH12 5HD
Freephone: 0800 78 78 78
Tel: 0131 313 4000
Fax: 0131 313 4231
E-mail: info@leel.co.uk
Website: http://www.leel.co.uk
| The Centre for Particle Characterisation and Analysis (CPCA) | |
See entry in
| Community Enterprise Limited (CEL) | |
| • Size of business: | |
| • Kind of funding: | Advice/Consultancy |
CEL provides support to community and co-operative enterprises, primarily within Edinburgh. We have over 10 years' experience in working with community organisations, charitable trusts and co-operatives, both large and small to create employment and training opportunities and to develop enterprise skills. Support offered includes:
Business Start-Up Support: Ideas
into Action
* idea
generation
* feasibility research
* business planning
Organisational Development Support:
Business Skills for the
Non-Business
* reviewing organisations
against a competency model based on best business practice
* devising skills development plans
Legal Structures and Services
* company
registration
* designing legal structures
* VAT
* training for company directors
Development Fund
* grants
up to £1,500
* loans up to £5,000 for eligible community
and co-operative enterprises
CONTACT
Anne-Marie McGeoch, Manager
Community Enterprise Limited
Norton Park
57 Albion Road
Edinburgh EH7 5QY
Tel: 0131 475 2345
Fax: 0131 475 2346
| Confederation of British Industry (CBI) | |
| • Size of business: | |
The CBI is the main employers' organisation in Scotland with a strong lobbying role. It is consulted by Government on economic trends, employment and trade issues.
CONTACT
Matthew Farrow, Head of Policy
Confederation of British Industry,
Scotland
5 Claremont Terrace
Glasgow G3 7XT
Tel: 0141 332 8661
Fax: 0141 333 9135
| Connect | |
| • Size of business: |  |
| • Kind of funding: | Advice/Connections |
Since launching in 1996, we've had only one mission -- to nurture creation, development and growth of technology enterprise throughout Scotland. We're all about new ideas and few organisations can claim to provide access to such a vast pool of resources and skills specifically focused on helping young, innovative technology companies develop their ideas and grow their businesses.
Connect brings together the people who can make it happen and provides a channel through which researchers and technology entrepreneurs can identify and access the diverse range of skills, expertise and resources which exist in Scotland. Through workshops, seminars and conferences, we give emerging companies the opportunity to meet and learn from the people who will really make a difference to their company.
Our major events include the Connect Investment Conference. It gives Scotland's emerging technology companies the chance to compete for funding by presenting their ideas and business plans directly to financiers and venture capitalists from around the UK and beyond.
We are, quite simply, a meeting of some of the best minds in the Scottish technology sector. So, if you're sitting on the hottest new idea, if you want to take advantage of these resources, or if you think you contribute, call us.
CONTACT
Connect
The University of Edinburgh Management School
7 Bristo Square
Edinburgh EH8 9AL
Tel: 0131 650 9067
Fax: 0131 650 9071
E-mail: connect@ed.ac.uk
Website: http://connect.ed.ac.uk
|
| • Size of business: | |
| • Kind of funding: | Advice/Consultancy/Equity/Grant/Loan |
Edinburgh Business Development, a division of the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, provides business development services to assist existing small businesses to grow and reach their full potential. Edinburgh Business Development provides the following range of services:
* general advice,
guidance and signposting
* business planning
advice and guidance
* business development
reviews (health checks)
* introduction of
business mentors
* preliminary environmental
reviews
Access to funding is made available through grants, loans and equity.
Eligible
businesses
Small businesses (up to approximately 50 employees)
based within the City of Edinburgh.
Scheme conditions
Businesses must be located within the City of Edinburgh
but there is no restriction to age. Most types of businesses are eligible
but there are exclusions, particularly relating to funding.
CONTACT
Gordon Murray
Edinburgh Business Development
Conference House
The Exchange
Edinburgh EH3 8EB
Tel: 0131 477 8000
Fax: 0131 477 7003
