This week I launched the “Start-up Hub” national competition for start-up businesses, to give them the chance to exhibit their business idea for free at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. This is the third year that we have organised this competition, and twelve businesses will be given the opportunity to join us at the conference this October. Last year a start up business from Folkestone, called ‘All the Fun of the Children’s Fair’, run by Kay McLoughlin and Katie Bouille, was selected to take part and was one of the daily prize winners at the conference.
The ‘Start-up Hub’ is being supported by the British Venture Capital Association and Fujitsu, and as well as being given the chance to exhibit at the conference, there will be daily prizes for the best business idea on show. The package itself is worth thousands of pounds, but the real value of being selected is the opportunity for the business to show off their work to thousands of delegates, the nation’s media and business leaders from across the country.
The competition is open to any business which has launched in the last three years, and I hope that if you qualify for this you will think of applying, or if not recommending it to a friend who does. We are looking ideally for businesses from a range of different sectors, from the creative and digital, to the retail and practical.
In order to win a chance to appear at the Start-Up Hub, ideas must be submitted to the Conservative Party before June 28h. Application is through the website at www.conservatives.com/startuphub.