Clock ticking for local entrepreneurs

Tuesday 31 October 2017

Budding entrepreneurs have just one more day to grab their chance of presenting their ideas to some of the Channel Islands' most well-known investors.

The Bailiwick Business Academy is being organised by Bailiwick Express - and includes a high-profile panel of investors who will grill the shortlisted finalists on their ideas to make it big.

It's a new initiative designed to provide guidance, support and potentially investment, to get start-ups off the ground.

Entries for the Academy open until midnight tonight with shortlisting then starting in November by a panel of business experts including representatives of Carey Olsen, Start-up Guernsey, Natwest, Sancus, Jersey Business, Envestors, Orchid, Regus and Bailiwick Publishing.

The finalists will then go through to face the investors, including Aaron Chatterley, Simon Perée and Zef Eisenberg. They will decide for themselves if they want to invest in any of the businesses, but the winner is guaranteed to receive mentoring and specialist advice, as well as advertising and branding support, and office space.

The initiative has been organised by Bailiwick Publishing - Director, Mark Jackson commented: "We've been delighted with the response to the Academy, with a very large number of applications from range of sectors, including events, clothing, hospitality, sport and education. Clearly the entrepreneurial spirit in the islands is alive and kicking, as the quality of those applications also looks really good, and the investors are going to have a tough job sifting through them. 

"We really hope the Academy will be the first step on the road to success for a budding local entrepreneur."

"We would like to thank the investors for their support, as well as Carey Olsen, Natwest, Sancus, Regus, Envestors, Jersey Business, Start-up Guernsey and Orchid - we needed them to believe in this idea, and they have backed it all the way."

More information is available here.