25257 - Start-up Business Support

This programme aims to increase entrepreneurship, particularly in areas with low levels of enterprise activity and amongst under-represented groups. It will inspire people to launch a business and foster the ambition of would-be entrepreneurs. Provision of free advice and support for entrepreneurship and self-employment in particular amongst under-represented groups by developing entrepreneurial skills and attitudes with a focus on increasing the number of business start-ups. We are particularly interested in new business start-up support that focuses on helping ethnic minority individuals within the city. We expect suppliers to demonstrate in their responses how they will contribute to deliver this ambition through their project delivery and how these will deliver outputs and outcomes as stipulated above.

The work should cover pre-starts and start-up businesses (including recently started businesses within their one-two years of operations) based in the Plymouth City Council area and should be tailored to meet the specific needs of the businesses in that area. This free start-up support aimed at answering key questions including (but not limited to):

Is self-employment right for me? Does it create the lifestyle and work/life mix that I want? How much time will I spend on the job? Should I form an Ltd company? Pros and Cons? Do I need an accountant? Who do I need to inform that I am starting a business? How do you know if you have a viable business proposition? USP's and what makes you stand out from the crowd?5