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US entrepreneur and ex-Dragon boosts Yorkshire start ups with new venture

Entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den star Doug Richard is giving Yorkshire creative start ups a boost as he expands his entrepreneurial courses in Sheffield.

The School for Startups is intended to educate aspiring entrepreneurs across the North to turn their creative talents into a business.

The School For Creative Startups opens at The Sheffield College, South Yorkshire, in October 2014.

This is the first time a further education college has been chosen as a partner to run the course, which is nine-months and part-time. It will equip creative people with the business know-how to turn their hobbies, freelance work and creative talents into a viable startup.

Doug Richard came to prominence as a result of the BBC programme Dragons’ Den, where he appeared as a ‘dragon’, or investor in the first two series.

Doug Richard, founder and chief executive of School for Startups, said: “We’re very fortunate to have proactive partners, such as The Sheffield College, who allow us to help them strengthen local economies through new business development.

“The truth is, supporting startups is the best investment local leaders can make to increase prosperity in a given region. New business owners make investments in everything from new workspaces to new employees in their first couple of years.”

It is also the first time that the course, which is aimed at aspiring entrepreneurs across the creative industries, has been located in the north of England.

Heather MacDonald, chief executive, The Sheffield College, said: “This course is part of a new portfolio of professional and business qualifications at the college that will enable individuals and employers to invest in their success and get the skills they need for growth and a competitive edge.

“We are committed to supporting the local economy, and are delighted that such a successful entrepreneur, with strong credentials in education, is working with us to help more adults fulfil their business ambitions.”

Statistics from the School for Creative Startups reveal that over the last three years the course has attracted participants, whose average age is 30 to 45-years-old.

Of those, 45% were running an existing startup; 28% were at the concept stage and 27% were in the early stages of launching their startup.

As a result of successfully completing the course, 88% of startups are still active and trading and 73% of students rate their prospects over the coming three to five years as good or very good.

Recent alumni are as diverse as snail farmer H&RH Escargot, cocktail mixologist Frankie Snobel of Tipplesworth now stocked in Harvey Nichols and Fortnum and Masons, and Great British Sewing Bee alumnus and blogger phenomenon Tilly and the Buttons.

Photo: Labelled for reuse, courtesy of the BBC

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .