Somerset Soup is back for a second year and now has six headline sponsors.
Cosmic, Red Berry Recruitment Ltd and Watmuff & Beckett join Albert Goodman, Somerset Chamber of Commerce and TDA to support the popular SOUP event, designed to help start-up businesses.
SOUP is a not-for-profit, crowd funding event that brings people together to raise small-scale investment to kick-start new businesses or ideas across Somerset.
Applications for entrepreneurs to pitch their idea at the event close on Tuesday 31 July, so time is running out to give your new business a chance of winning £1,000 of goods and support.
Helen Lacey, Managing Director of Red Berry Recruitment, says: “We’re delighted to be able to support this event. We help businesses of all sizes, from start up to multi nationals across the South West, find the right staff to make their business a success and help them grow. Supporting SOUP is another way we can help budding business entrepreneurs. This event helps bring new businesses into the fantastic business community that Somerset has and I urge any new business looking to grow to apply and pitch their business idea.”
Helen, who has been through the journey from start up to award-winning recruitment agency, will provide 1-2-1 mentoring for the winning business for a year to help them achieve their ambitions.
Ges Green, Somerset Enterprise Centres Manager, says: “TDA and Somerset Enterprise Centres work closely with the small business communities across Somerset and beyond. We see great entrepreneur spirit in the area, which we are pleased to be able to help strive and thrive. Our SOUP initiative is part of this support, giving small businesses and start-ups an opportunity to gain critical investment and attain their goals. We are looking forward to meeting yet more brilliant businesses through the event. So far, we have received applications from a range of diverse of business ideas but we’re looking for more exciting businesses to come forward.”
“Elaine Owen from Timepix was our winner last year who is now running her own, successful small business and the help of SOUP has been significant!”
The winning business will receive a package of business support and advice, provided through one to one business support and mentoring, and access to a range of workshops and events. In addition to this, a year’s free membership of the Chamber of Commerce, to help them raise their profile and become a member of Somerset’s biggest business network, and Albert Goodman are providing a year’s licence to cloud accounting. Of course there is also that essential cash prize, with the winning business taking away the money from ticket sales. Albert Goodman are also boosting the cash prize!
Cosmic work in partnership with many of the leading organisations locally in the South West and across the UK to enable them to benefit from digital skills, working smarter, engaging with society and delivering value. Julie Hawker, Chief Executive of Cosmic will compere the event, bringing her skills as an inspiring, experienced public speaker.
Watmuff & Beckett will be providing soup for the event. These guys really connect with the Soup event as Somerset’s very own Dragon’s Den winners, who took the investment they won to grow the business from start-up to larger scale production. The company’s range of soup is available at Asda and online at Ocado.
We would love to hear from businesses across Somerset, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset interested in pitching their ideas/businesses at SOUP. To apply, simply complete the five minute online form by visiting www.somerset-enterprise-centres.co.uk/soup by Tuesday 31 July.
Tickets are now available for the SOUP event, which takes place at 5pm on 27th September at The Red Brick Building in Glastonbury.
Ges continued: “Tickets are also available now – just £7 to come along, support our pitching businesses with encouragement and a vote for your favourite! Our SOUP events are all about supporting business growth in the region. There is also a networking and connecting opportunity – and of course a bowl of soup.
“We really want to encourage as many people as possible to come along to this community event and support our pitchers.”
For more information contact Somerset Enterprise Centres on 01278 550250.
Join Somerset Chamber of Commerce to give your business a stronger voice both locally, regionally and nationally. Combined with local town chambers, we represent over 2,000 businesses across Somerset with a direct line to policy-makers at all levels.
