Belfast City Council is running a new business programme and hosting an upcoming event for aspiring entrepreneurs.

The High Growth Pre-Enterprise Programme will offer support on setting up and building a business and assistance in areas such as finance, sales, marketing and product development.

15 places are available in the new programme which will include a number of masterclasses, a Business Challenge session and one-to-one mentoring.

The programme is funded by the council, Invest NI and the European Regional Development Fund under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland. To apply for a place, people should contact the council’s Economic Development Unit on 028 9027 0229 or email lynnr@belfastcity.gov.uk

Budding entrepreneurs in the Belfast area thinking of starting their own business can also get advice and support through an upcoming enterprise event – `Start Up Belfast` – organised by the council.

‘Start Up Belfast’ will be a ‘one-stop shop’ event with a business advice clinic, workshops, networking opportunities and exhibitions from business support organisations. It will take place in the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue next Wednesday (20 June) from 9am- 2.15pm.

Attendees to the event will get the chance to find out more about ‘Getting Started’; ‘ Financing Your Business’; ‘Top Tips for Marketing Your Business’; using Social Media to promote your business and ‘Selling Online’ and what not to do.

For further information or to register for the event, contact the council’s Economic Development Unit on 028 9027 0229