Jump-Start your business with 12 hours of free support

The European Regional Development Fund and local authorities have made funding available to support businesses across Devon. There are two major business support programmes available that will allow you to access a wide range of expert business support and advice at no cost to you - the Growth Support Programme and Start-Up & Grow Programme.

Whether you are looking to launch a new business this year or grow your existing business, Business Information Point can advise on these fantastic free programmes to help you push forward and achieve your business goals. Support is offered as a 12-hour package that gives you tailored one-to-one advice with an experienced business advisor as well as access to free business skills workshops, and telephone and email support. The value of this support would normally be £600, but the only cost to you is your commitment to the full 12 hours. The more effort you put in to applying and engaging with the advice and support given by your business mentor, the more you will gain from it.

Your support will be broken down into specific sessions covering all the major aspects of your business. Starting with an initial consultation to get to know you and your business inside out, the advice is then tailored to you and your specific requirements so that you receive practical support and recommendations that you can apply immediately. After your initial one-to-one meeting you will work step-by-step with your business advisor through the following modules: marketing, digital innovation, financial planning and human resources. In some cases, support is delivered in a workshop setting and the digital innovation module is delivered by our partner Cosmic, digital marketing and IT experts based in Honiton. By the end of the 12-hour programme you will be very well prepared to launch or grow your business in 2018.

The support is available to anyone in the Heart of the South West LEP area, except for businesses in the following sectors: fisheries and aquaculture, processing and marketing of agricultural products, shipbuilding, schools and education establishments, insurance companies, primary production, coal or steel, synthetic fibres and banking.

BIP has been delivering expert business support for over 20 years and our advisors are very knowledgeable in all aspects of starting and growing a successful business across all sectors. You can find more information about the Growth Support Programme and Start-Up & Grow Programme on our website at www.businessinfopoint.co.uk/projects. You can either register your interest on our website, call us on free-phone 0800 592 872 or email team@businessinfopoint.co.uk.