Turn your tech, food and drink, or life sciences idea into a business with Opportunity North East’s dedicated sector start-up programmes, starting in January 2022.
Aspiring entrepreneurs, business founders and pioneers will benefit from the most extensive ever programme of start-up support from Opportunity North East (ONE) in the new year.
If you have a digital, food and drink, or life sciences business idea that you need help getting off the ground, signing up for the sector-specific accelerators can help you take your next steps.
The FREE start-up programmes are for entrepreneurs and founders based in the North East only. They each provide advice and support from industry experts, introduce tools and insights to understand customers and markets and allow you to learn from experienced business people and successful start-ups. There is even the potential for follow-on grant funding for your next steps on your start-up journey.
You need to sign up now to make sure you don’t miss out.
What programmes are available?
There are three specialist start-up accelerators available and each one is looking for applicants now. If you want to join the digital or food and drink accelerators you need to sign up by 31 December, and for life sciences, the deadline is 7 January 2022.
- Join the ONE CodeBase Tech Startup Fundamentals to find out how tech product companies are built. Apply by 31 December 2021.
- Sign up to the ONE Food & Drink Boot Camp and Accelerator will help you plan for success if you have a good idea, a new product or are starting to manufacture. Apply by 31 December 2021.
- Apply for the ONE Life Sciences Boot Camp and Accelerator which is for anyone with an interest in life sciences to plan, start-up and launch businesses from their ideas, innovation and research. Apply by 7 January 2022.
What is Opportunity North East (ONE)?
ONE is the private sector leader and catalyst for entrepreneurial growth and economic diversification in the North East. It has supported more than 100 start-ups across the region’s key growth sectors. Today, more than 400 businesses are engaged in ONE-led growth, innovation, leadership and market development programmes in digital; food, drink and agriculture; life sciences and tourism to transform the region as it transitions to a low-carbon economy.
Now ONE is working with the region’s next generation of ambitious and innovative start-ups, helping them pioneer new ideas, go further faster, grow and create new jobs.
The free start-up accelerators are possible thanks to funding from ONE and the Scottish Government’s North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF).
What are the benefits of signing up to a free Pioneer start-up accelerator?
- Test and develop your business idea
- Confidential and supportive environment
- Sector-specific advice and support from industry experts
- Tools and insights to understand customers and markets
- Learn from successful start-ups
- Practical planning for success
- Potential for follow-on grant funding for your next steps
Jennifer Craw, chief executive of ONE, said: “This is a unique opportunity to be a pioneer. Our fully-funded accelerators can help you turn an idea into a successful start-up. These are sector-specific practical programmes. You’ll discover things that can really make a difference to your start-up. And there’s even potential for follow-on grant funding for your next steps.”
What impact can it have on your business?
Aberdeen’s Raw Culture, co-founded by Chris Geary and Ashley Keenon, launched in 2020. They produce a hop-infused craft kombucha – a sparkling tea-based soft drink that targets the wellbeing trend. The pair then launched their first kombucha at the end of July and have five further flavours in the pipeline. Raw Culture is one of only six producers in Scotland. Co-founder Chris said:
We have had fantastic support from the team at Opportunity North East to get to this point. We are excited about where we can take Raw Culture.”
Ashely added: “We took the time to make the best product we can. We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive feedback since we launched and have been sending out direct sales as far as London. The next steps are ramping up our marketing campaign and scaling production to get the full range out to consumers.”
Who can apply?
You can apply whether you are a student just starting out on your career path, a career changer or someone who is ready to take the next step in turning their start-up ambition into a reality. You must live in the North East.
How do I apply for a free business start-up accelerator?*
If you have a digital business idea.
If you have a food and drink idea.
If you have a life sciences idea.
*Sign up by 31 December (or 7 January for life sciences) to make sure you don’t miss out.
To find out more about how you can transform your career – and your future – with one of your business ideas, visit Opportunity North East’s website and discover more about the Pioneer start-up programme.
