Today marks the launch of Seeds Hub’s annual Start-Up Programme, offering six months of free support to 20 individuals looking to start a business for good. Hailing from a range of sectors, entrepreneurs will participate in weekly workshops facilitated by industry experts, and will also have access to peer support, one-to-one mentoring and dedicated co-working space.
Seeds Hub, a project of Caritas Westminster, supports entrepreneurs from low-income and under-represented backgrounds who want to start or grow a business for good. The initiative aims to tackle an acute lack of diversity in the start-up community, by providing courses, mentoring and a workspace to business founders from across and beyond the Diocese of Westminster.
The Start-Up Programme offers multifaceted support to help aspiring entrepreneurs get their business off the ground, by enabling access to the resources, space and networking opportunities that might not otherwise be available to them. Participants commit to attending weekly two-hour workshops focused on developing practical skills for running a business, with session topics ranging from business planning and brand building to website creation, database management, pitching and more.
‘We’re so excited to welcome our next cohort onto our Start-up Programme,’ said Kathy Margerison, Head of Seeds Hub. ‘With a focus on social impact, we aim to equip participants with the skills to create meaningful change through their ventures. This year’s programme is packed with learning and practical tools to support the growth of a business for good.’
Each workshop will be followed by a peer-to-peer session, allowing entrepreneurs to apply their learning, collect feedback, practise pitching or even decide to join forces. The programme is designed to encourage collaboration between participants, and facilitates this by offering free co-working space for the duration of the course. Access to a workspace is a popular feature of Seeds Hub’s programmes, with previous participants continuing to rent space on the premises and going on to start new ventures with former peers.
The Start-Up Programme is one of two courses run annually at Seeds Hub; the Accelerator Programme empowers entrepreneurs who already have a charity or social business to grow and take their business to the next level.
Find out more about Seeds Hub here.
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