A redundant worker could get the chance to turn a business dream into reality with the help of £5000 in cash and another £25,000 in support.
The offer is being made by organisers of New Start Scotland, the nation’s biggest business support event, which will be staged next month in Glasgow for the sixth successive year.
It is the prize up for grabs in the exhibition’s Bright Business Idea competition, which can be entered through the New Start Scotland website.
Key speakers at the event, at the SECC on March 19 and 20, will be Scots entrepreneur and online Dragons’ Den panelist Shaf Rasul and Doug Richard, a former BBC
Dragons’ Den panellist.
Mr Rasul said: “Entrepreneurs will drive Scotland out of the recession.
“New Start Scotland will help a lot of people who are starting up a business and who want someone to talk to or get advice from. That’s why I’m delighted to be involved with this year’s New Start Scotland event.”
Gerry Carey is one of thousands of Scots who lost their jobs in the recession.
After being made redundant as retail director at Rangers Football Club, he bought the master franchise for Scotland for Irish cafe concept The Streat.
Gerry launched a flagship cafe in Glasgow last year and has opened a third in Airdrie. He hopes an army of new franchise owners will extend the network to East Kilbride, Newton Mearns, Clydebank, Livingston and Aberdeen. New Start Scotland will feature 100 exhibitors as well as 50 seminars and workshops.
Free tickets and the Bright Business Idea competition can be accessed on www.newstartscotland.com or by calling 0800 157 7950.
