Business Support for Broxbourne and East Herts New Business Owners
Business Support for Broxbourne and East Herts Nervy New Business Owners
Budding entrepreneurs and small business owners across Broxbourne and the East of Hertfordshire are about to get their own new business start-up facility called ‘My Incubator’ which is currently being built at the Hertford Regional College campus in Ware. My Incubator provides aspiring business owners with a unique support service which is free for up to 3 months.
The new My Incubator is a result of a successful funding partnership between Wenta, Hertford Regional College, East Herts Council, Broxbourne Borough Council and the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) who have each provided substantial funding to create this new and exciting business incubator facility.
The development will see an unused building at Hertford Regional College campus transformed and bought back to life. It is anticipated the new My Incubator will open its doors and welcome its first clients from April 2012. In addition outreach support will be provided across the area.
Andy Forbes, Principal of Hertford Regional College commented “I’m very pleased to have Wenta sharing our Ware campus. It will provide great new opportunities for our students to get involved in business and benefit directly from the expertise of business start-up advisers. I’m hoping we’ll encourage and support our budding young entrepreneurs to go on to be the success stories of the future.”
Wenta’s recently appointed My Incubator business advisor, Elena Souto said “This was one of the most exciting projects I have been involved with. There’s a real buzz around the area and I can’t wait for the new facility to be open and ready for business!”
Elena joins My Incubator having worked for Business Link for 8 years. Elena specialises in business development and has enjoyed working with and advising a variety of clients. This new role will see Elena growing the My Incubator brand and network within East Hertfordshire and surrounding areas. What’s more, clients can be confident they are in safe hands, with Elena being an experienced trainer and savvy businesswoman herself, juggling a young family alongside her keen interest in property development.
The new centre will form part of a strategic countywide incubator network providing access to a variety of specialist and technical business support. Wenta operates five other My Incubators in Bedford, Luton, Potters Bar, Stevenage and Watford where clients have access to on-tap support and where they can begin to build their own networks and contacts with other clients. It doesn’t stop there, Wenta also run a comprehensive range of training programmes, specialist workshops and surgeries, business mentors, and have access to specialist funding programmes too.
John Gourd, Chair of the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said: "Hertfordshire LEP is delighted that it's first investment is being made to establish My Incubator at Ware. The LEP is committed to supporting business growth. In these tough economic times, I am thrilled that we are able to help Wenta provide much needed support to people thinking of owning and starting a business".
Mike Carver, East Herts Council’s Executive member for planning policy and economic development, added: “We’re delighted to be investing in this scheme which offers a fantastic foundation to help new businesses take the first steps to success. Getting started in the business world can be tough and this could be just the start-up that’s needed.”
Chris Pichon, Chief Executive of Wenta, said: “We are extremely proud to be launching our 6th My Incubator and to be moving into the East of Hertfordshire. My Incubator offers anyone with a sound business idea the support they need to live their dream of running their own successful business. This is a hugely exciting a prospect and we are very much looking forward to working closely with our partners and local businesses”.
In such uncertain times My Incubator provides a much needed secure route for new and aspiring business owners who are committed to making their venture a success but need expert, ongoing, guidance on the best way forward. My Incubator aims to transform the prospects of nervy new business owners, and with a record to date of a 98% business survival rate, this is a great testament to success of this intensive business support model.