Startup Stage 1

Startup Stage 1. Reluctant or deliberate entrepreneur moving from aspiration to startup.
The process of turning an idea into entrepreneurial action has increasing support across the UK. Please contact me if you are aware of useful sources of services and information within the TVTriangle and I will add them to this summary. Services within our locality are coloured green.

Business Launchpad on www.businesslaunchpad.org.uk support those aged 18-30 who want to start their own business with free training and advice for up to two years post startup. Action Acton (www.actionacton.com) promote employment, training and enterprise in West London as a social enterprise and are connected with the Doughnut Factory (see below).

Business In You (www.businessinyou.bis.gov.uk) is a Government and private enterprise initiative to inspire people to start their own business and highlights a range of support services. Pre accelerators produce an environment for the rapid movement of an idea to a business plan. One such example is the Launch48weekend which aims to launch a web or mobile startup in 48 hours from idea inception to business plan. (www.launch48.com).

Other sources of advice not solely West London focussed include the British Library Business and IP Centre at St Pancras (www.bl.uk/bipc); Government backed StartUp Britain (www.startupbritain.co) for entrepreneurs aged 18-24, Business Link (www.businesslink.gov.uk) and (www.startups.co.uk) have good clear explanations of the options and issues facing entrepreneurs.

At this stage sources of finance are often thought to be limited to savings, family and friends (and the bank) however it may well be worth exploring both Government grants and newly launched StartUp Loans 24 (www.startuploans.co.uk) which is Government backed and available for loans of up to £25,000 for entrepreneurs aged 18-24.