Female entrepreneurs set to benefit from superfast broadband
13 May 2014 04:16 PM
Equalities Minister Nicky Morgan
announces a new £1million challenge fund to help women grow their
business online.
Budding female entrepreneurs are
set to benefit from superfast broadband with a new £1m challenge fund,
enabling them to work effectively, access new markets and grow their business
online.
Visiting Google’s Campus for
Mums in Shoreditch, Minister for Women Nicky Morgan
said:
There are thousands of women
running some amazing small businesses all over the UK but they still make up
just a fifth of all small businesses.
As part of our long-term
economic plan for Britain we are determined to do everything we can to support
women to start-up businesses and create more jobs and opportunities for
hardworking people.
This fund will give women the
practical help needed to get their businesses on-line and take advantage of
superfast broadband. This will include online mentors, business clubs and
training courses so that women all over the county can benefit from the kinds
of help Campus for Mums is giving.
The fund will be part of the
Government’s Superfast Broadband rollout and will help women take full
advantage of all the opportunities superfast broadband can bring to business.
There are 40 local broadband projects in England, already delivering the
programme and they will be invited to submit bids to the £1m challenge
fund in May 2014.
This forms part of help the
Government is already providing to female entrepreneurs, which
includes:
- £1.6 million to support
women’s enterprise in rural areas;
- access to over 15,000 free
business mentors; and
- from next year, the introduction
of Tax Free Childcare will mean that, for the first time, many self-employed
parents will have access to support with childcare costs.
Where to access
help
The Small Business: GREAT Ambition campaign is making it easier for
new and existing businesses to get access to the advice and support they need
through its Business is
GREAT website. As part of their plans to improve its service, they
want to hear from small businesses about whether the site works for them or
what improvements they would like to see.
Female entrepreneurs can also
take advantage of a 50% contribution of up to £2k from the Growth Voucher
programme to pay for help with accounting or marketing
advice.
Futher
information