Minister celebrates UK business start-up champions with Young Entrepreneurs of the Year from Edinburgh
The Young Entrepreneurs of the Year Neil Jordan and Kieran Middleton joined Department of Trade and Industry Minister Nigel Griffiths today (Friday) in Edinburgh to give a send off to the two Scottish finalists in the UK competition to be judged next Thursday. This has been won by Scottish young entrepreneurs for the past four years running.
Neil and Kieran won the national competition to encourage young people to start their own business, the Shell LiveWire Young Entrepreneur of the Year Business Start-ups awards. Their business, Mex2Go, a fast-growing Mexican carryout chain which is providing the food this lunchtime. They were joined by this year's two Scottish finalists Stephen Fitzpatrick and David George who will be in London next Thursday at the 2002 awards competition. The 1999 UK winner Stephen Greenhorn of Glasgow also joined them. He established 999 Recovery, a breakdown and repair service.
Our two new finalists: Stephen Fitzpatrick has set up the Rental Guide for people renting accommodation in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. David George has set up Softlite Ltd in Fife developed ScriptWorx, a massively successful web authorising suite which has been taken up by 500,000 people in 37 countries. They join 11 regional finalists on 20th. The first prize is worth £10,000 and the runners-up get £2,000 each for their business.
The Shell LiveWire scheme offers 16 to 30 year olds advice and a free business kit to every caller, tailored to their specific business idea on starting a business. 115,000 young people with an average age of 22 have contacted LiveWire in the last year – a record high for the scheme which started in 1977. Over 15,000 go on to start a business each year.
The Department of Trade and Industry's Small Business Minister, Nigel Griffiths MP will present the 2002 Awards next Thursday.
“I am delighted to give £345,000 from the DTI in 3-year funding for this excellent scheme. These young people are inspirational, bringing much-needed jobs to this region and building the businesses of the future. Scotland's young entrepreneurs are taking the lead in creating small businesses which are the life-blood of our economy. SMEs employ 12 million people and contribute £1 trillion a year to the UK. They are helping to revitalise communities by creating jobs, attracting investors and generating local income and wealth. I encourage all local youngsters to contact the LiveWire team on 0845 757 3252 or at www.shell-livewire.org"
Shell LiveWire also works with young people to introduce sustainable development to all aspects of their business planning and operation – including the use of LPG vehicles.
