Last chance for businesses to bid for £25,000 boost

ENTREPRENEURS are being urged to bring forward their big business ideas — and scoop £25,000 to help get them off the ground.

But there is not long left to enter the UK Steel Enterprise Y-Accelerator programme as applications have to be in by Thursday (November 30).

Entrepreneurs from across the Sheffield City Region are eligible for the programme, which will provide ten successful candidates with free business advice and development assistance, as well as the opportunity to pitch for a £25,000 equity investment from UKSE to kickstart their concept.

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The Y-Accelerator partnership is a collaboration between private and public sector organisations — including UKSE, the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Growth Hub, the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO) and Gripple Ltd — and forms part of the SCR Economic Plan, working to develop a strong start-up eco-system across the region. 

Mihaela Gruia, founder of Research Retold — last year’s Y-Accelerator winner — said: “I found the Y-Accelerator to be an extremely useful experience because it gave me focus and dedicated space and time to work on developing the business.

“The Y-Accelerator team were particularly helpful for brainstorming, critique, encouragement and developing my growth strategy.”

Keith Williams of UKSE commented: “The Y Accelerator is a great programme and we encourage anyone with an innovative idea and the aspiration to build a high-growth business to get involved. 

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“Offering tailored sessions to meet the needs of every candidate, the advice from our business mentors gives entrepreneurs the chance to take their business idea to the next level.”

For more information on Y Accelerator and details of how to enter, call RiDO on 01709 331133, email [email protected] or visit https://www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/y-accelerator/.