Virtual Summer Start-Up Week to deliver free advice and workshops to student entrepreneurs

A WEEK of virtual talks, workshops and seminars for students and graduates wanting to start a business will be launched on Monday (June 8).

The Summer Start-Up week has been organised by colleges and universities across Wales, including Coleg Cambria.

Six sessions across the five days will be hosted by Cambria partners and collaborators, including Gareth Jones and Katherine Broadhurst from Town Square Spaces in Wrexham, freelance advisor Mike Corcoran, author and entrepreneur Sid Madge, and Limb Art founder Mark Williams.

The free online programme covers numerous topics, from self-employment, networking, and money matters to promotion, protecting your ideas, finance, and digital marketing.

Rona Griffths, Deputy Director for Learner Experience and Enterprise at Coleg Cambria, said organisations across the country came together to come up with ideas to support young people who want to start their own business and need support and guidance, particularly during the current economic climate in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone wanting to pursue a business idea to get free support and advice from some of the leading lights of business and entrepreneurship in Wales,” said Rona.

“Now more than ever we are seeing people go the extra mile to help each other, and that’s certainly the ethos of everyone here at Coleg Cambria.

“The Coronavirus pandemic means many of us are working from home, and a lot of people are in isolation, so having experts on hand to help focus your business plans and answer any questions you may have is going to be invaluable.”

The Summer Start-Up Week has been driven and launched as a collaboration of 20 the further and higher education institutions in Wales to ensure young people with a business idea have access to valuable enterprise insights, despite the current climate.

Alana Spencer, from Aberystwyth, owner of Ridiculously Rich confectionary business and winner of BBC One’s The Apprentice in 2016, will also feature.

Emma Forouzan, chair of Summer Start Up Week committee, said: “Even in this current climate, it’s important for ambitious young people with a business concept to think about their options and take advantage of free support available to them.

“As this is an all-Wales collaboration of institutions, the Week will feature businesspeople from a range of industries from the four corners of the country, so it’s a fantastic opportunity for those looking to start a business to get involved in.”