The first phase of a new initiative to identify and nurture new
entrepreneurial talent has been launched.
Funding of up to £1.5 million will be delivered through the
Pathways Pre-Start Fund this financial year to provide support,
mentoring and advice services for people thinking about taking
the first steps towards creating a start-up company. It will have
a particular focus on closing the gender gap and widening
participation in entrepreneurship, and is the first step to
developing a pre-start network to bring more people into the
entrepreneurship pipeline.
This week’s Programme for Government has committed to a further
£15 million of investment in Scotland’s start-up community,
encouraging entrepreneurs from all walks of life to start and
scale their business.
To launch the Pathways Pre-Start Fund, Wellbeing Economy &
Fair Work Secretary visited the offices of PwC UK in
Glasgow to meet with members of the Black Social Entrepreneurship
Programme, run by The School for Social Entrepreneurs in
collaboration with PwC.
He said:
“Through the jobs they provide and problems they solve, new
businesses play a fundamental role in growing our economy while
creating better futures for our people and communities. That is
why we must inspire more Scots to view starting a business as a
viable path.
“We want to cultivate a thriving, world-leading entrepreneurial
ecosystem and our Programme for Government 2023/24 sets out a
very clear vision and tangible actions to help this and future
generations of entrepreneurs succeed.
“There is a moral and economic duty to do more to ensure women –
indeed, every under-represented group - have the support and
opportunities they need to start and grow successful businesses.
Kick-started by immediate funding this year, our Pre-Start
programme will play an important role in breaking down barriers
and ensuring Scotland’s start-up community continues to
flourish.”
Background
The Programme for Government
2023/24
The Scottish Government confirmed in June that it would take
forward all the recommendations of the Pathways report on
under-representation of women in entrepreneurship as part of a
multi-million funding package being delivered this year to help
establish Scotland as one of Europe’s leading start-up economies.
The Scottish Government’s full
response to Pathways: A New Approach for
Women in Entrepreneurship is available on the Scottish
Government website.
Encouraging entrepreneurship is a key action in the Scottish
Government’s National Strategy for
Economic Transformation.
The Scottish Government is increasing the number of start-ups
through the national £42 million TechScaler network
which offers mentoring and incubation space for new tech
businesses.
