Specialist coaches will help women and under-represented groups across Dumfries and Galloway start a business.
South of Scotland Enterprise has appointed the coaches and is now looking for budding entrepreneurs to get in touch to receive help to kick-start their business ideas.
Alongside the pilot project, there is also a new Scottish Government-administered Pathways Fund to support entrepreneurial activity, with grants of up to £1,000 available.
South of Scotland Enterprise chief executive, Jane Morrison-Ross, said: “Our newly appointed enterprise coaches will support people in the south of Scotland to realise their entrepreneurial potential.
“There is a huge amount of talent, ambition and determination in the south of Scotland and we are working hard to support and ignite that.
“Awakening entrepreneurial talent is one of our six key priorities, highlighted by our annual report published this month which showed we engaged with almost 500 women and over 800 young people in 2023/24.
“We are even more ambitious than this for the south of Scotland and believe this Scottish Government-supported pilot can help us ignite the spark and accelerate how we work with our existing and new entrepreneurs.”
To join the pathways programme and work with the coaches, visit www.southofscotlandenterprise.com/pathways.