Startup Britain And Natwestbizbus To Support Local Start-Ups And Entrepreneurs With South Wales Tour

StartUp Britain and NatWestBizBus to support local start-ups and entrepreneurs with South Wales tour National enterprise campaign StartUp Britain, run by the Centre for Entrepreneurs think tank, powered by NatWest and sponsored by Business Wales, .wales and .cymru domains, will be providing inspiration and support to thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs across South Wales this November when it embarks on a five town tour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The tour will feature the NatWestBizBus – a 1966 Routemaster bus – that will park in high-footfall areas offering free, impartial advice to aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs, while connecting and celebrating entrepreneurial communities across South Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The StartUp Tour will have a distinctly local flavour, with local professionals and organisations hopping on-board. They will be joined by NatWest’s local Business Growth Enablers as well as advisers from Nominet, Business Wales, Finance Wales, the Intellectual Property Office and StartUp Britain. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This year the bus has already visited over 50 locations – including Cardiff and Swansea – and has engaged with more than 5,000 entrepreneurs across the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris Preston, NatWest’s Regional Managing Director – Business Banking – for Wales and the South West of England said: “Our mobile business bus is a great way to get into local communities and support aspiring business owners. By collaborating with StartUp Britain and local experts Business Wales, we hope to provide a broader range of support to help more entrepreneurs realise their business ambitions than ever before. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

”Jayne Kendall, Product Manager for .cymru and .wales said “With more than a quarter of consumers (28%) thinking that businesses without a web presence can’t keep up with the times, one of the biggest things for a small company to get right is getting online. Many are unaware just how easy and economical it can be to create a really effective website, or don’t have the confidence to make it happen. We’re really looking forward to joining the StartUp Tour to help change that.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

StartUp Britain Director, Matt Smith said: “Interest in entrepreneurship is higher than ever and the only thing holding many people back from trying out a business idea is some encouragement and support. By connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with those a few steps ahead of them, as well as supportive local organisations, we want to give people the confidence to turn their ideas into reality.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The weeklong visit starts in Newport on 21st November and finishes in Pontypool on 25th November. Specific details are as follows: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

21st November 10am – 4pm Newport: High Street, Outside NatWest, NP20 1GG ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

22nd November 10am – 4pm Port Talbot: Civic Centre, Princess Royal Theatre, SA13 1PJ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

23rd November 10am – 4pm Merthyr: Merthyr Civic Centre, Castle Street, CF47 8AN ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

24th November 10am – 4pm Blaenau Gwent: Ebbw Vale – Station Square, off Lime Avenue ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

25th November 10am – 4pm Torfaen: George Street, Pontypool Town Centre ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​