91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ

If you are considering starting a business, you can get free start-up 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Go Succeed Start

If you have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.

This 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ is available to anyone interested in starting a business. or call 0800 027 0639 to register for free advice and guidance from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Start-up and early stage business 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ programmes

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council runs or part-funds business 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ programmes to help you start a business. Current programmes include:

40+ Fresh Start

Support to people aged 40 and over who want to explore the opportunities available to them through entrepreneurship or self-employment - find out more about the 40+ Fresh Start programme.

Enterprise Pathways Programme

Programme which aims to help individuals to develop their business idea through bespoke mentoring - find out more about the Enterprise Pathways Programme.

My New Business

My New Business is a free online service that covers everything you need to start, plan and run a business. It has checklists, videos, tools, tutorials and case studies to help you get your business started - find out more about My New Business.

Get a business licence

You may need a licence to operate certain types of business in Mid and East Antrim. Find more information on how to .

There are several organisations in Mid and East Antrim which offer 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ to help you grow your business.

Growth and 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ schemes for established businesses

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council runs 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ programmes for business growth and development. Current programmes include:

Go Succeed Grant Support

Grants of up to £3,000 are available for businesses in all council areas. Delivered through Ards and North Down Borough Council, Go Succeed grants can fund up to 50% of eligible capital costs - whether that’s investing in new equipment, boosting productivity, or improving online promotion.

Find out more about the Go Succeed Grant Support.

5G Funding Competition

This funding competition 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵs local businesses and industries in the Belfast region to harness the power of 5G and digital technologies to deliver enhanced operations and services. Organisations can apply for grants of between £50,000 and £100,000. Find out more about the 5G Funding Competition.

Manufacturing Task Force

This programme offers partnership opportunities, funding 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ, skill initiatives and talent, and the chance to engage in significant strategic projects - find out more.

MEANZ Business

The programme allows businesses to achieve a higher level of net zero readiness, helping to realise organisational sustainability targets faster and 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ the national transition towards net zero - find out more.

Business Health-check

Support programme to help businesses to navigate through the array of available 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ, to find the right fit for them - find out more.

Enterprising Women

A free forum which provides access to workshops and events for female entrepreneurs, to share knowledge and experiences while offering the chance to make new connections - find out more.

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Fund

The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Change Fund is open to a wide range of organisations across community, sports, arts, and faith-based sectors to help them raise awareness and help end violence against women and girls across the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area - find out more about the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Change Fund.

Go Succeed - Grow and Scale

Support is available if your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Or if your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ or resources to achieve your ambitions. Business advisors will provide tailored 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ to help your business achieve its ambitions - .

Mid and East Antrim Food & Drink Network

Programme 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵing agri-food businesses with practical workshops, best practice visits, mentoring 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ, visits and sessions from key industry experts, and 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵing local producers to exhibit at speciality food and drink shows across the UK - find out more.

Social Enterprise Thematic Programme

Support for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning - find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.

Local enterprise agencies

Enterprise Northern Ireland agencies provide business improvement programmes, financing, events, workspace and meeting space. There are three local enterprise agencies in Mid and East Antrim Borough Council:

Tender for council contracts

You can seek tender opportunities as a way to grow your business in Mid and East Antrim. The council offers public tenders throughout the year in a wide range of business areas.

.

Invest Northern Ireland 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ for business

Invest NI can help your business compete successfully and function more efficiently by providing 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ across a variety of areas.

.

Business events

Many organisations run business focused events in Mid and East Antrim, across a range of topics to help you develop your business.

You can .

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is an excellent location for doing business.

Local infrastructure

Mid and East Antrim businesses benefit from direct access to markets across the world.

The council area has strong road and rail links to Belfast and the economic corridor to Dublin.

Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport are both within a short travel time from the council area. The road network also provides fast and reliable access to major ports at Belfast and Larne.

The council area has direct road access into the European Union - .

Local workforce and business supply chains

There are around 139,200 residents in Mid and East Antrim.

There are 5,065 businesses operating in Mid and East Antrim, which is 6% of all businesses in Northern Ireland. The majority of the base is micro and small businesses:

• 91% micro (0-9 employees)
• 8% small (10-49 employees)
• 1% medium (50-249 employees)
• 0.3% large (250+ employees)

Some major business investors in the council area include Moore Concrete Products, Step and Clarke Facades. Service businesses make up the largest sector in Mid and East Antrim:

• 52% services
• 28% agriculture
• 13% construction
• 7% manufacturing

You can download an .

If you are considering starting a business, you can get free start-up 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Go Succeed Start

If you have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.

This 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ is available to anyone interested in starting a business. or call 0800 027 0639 to register for free advice and guidance from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Start-up and early stage business 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ programmes

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council runs or part-funds business 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ programmes to help you start a business. Current programmes include:

40+ Fresh Start

Support to people aged 40 and over who want to explore the opportunities available to them through entrepreneurship or self-employment - find out more about the 40+ Fresh Start programme.

Enterprise Pathways Programme

Programme which aims to help individuals to develop their business idea through bespoke mentoring - find out more about the Enterprise Pathways Programme.

My New Business

My New Business is a free online service that covers everything you need to start, plan and run a business. It has checklists, videos, tools, tutorials and case studies to help you get your business started - find out more about My New Business.

Get a business licence

You may need a licence to operate certain types of business in Mid and East Antrim. Find more information on how to .

There are several organisations in Mid and East Antrim which offer 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ to help you grow your business.

Growth and 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ schemes for established businesses

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council runs 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ programmes for business growth and development. Current programmes include:

Go Succeed Grant Support

Grants of up to £3,000 are available for businesses in all council areas. Delivered through Ards and North Down Borough Council, Go Succeed grants can fund up to 50% of eligible capital costs - whether that’s investing in new equipment, boosting productivity, or improving online promotion.

Find out more about the Go Succeed Grant Support.

5G Funding Competition

This funding competition 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵs local businesses and industries in the Belfast region to harness the power of 5G and digital technologies to deliver enhanced operations and services. Organisations can apply for grants of between £50,000 and £100,000. Find out more about the 5G Funding Competition.

Manufacturing Task Force

This programme offers partnership opportunities, funding 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ, skill initiatives and talent, and the chance to engage in significant strategic projects - find out more.

MEANZ Business

The programme allows businesses to achieve a higher level of net zero readiness, helping to realise organisational sustainability targets faster and 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ the national transition towards net zero - find out more.

Business Health-check

Support programme to help businesses to navigate through the array of available 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ, to find the right fit for them - find out more.

Enterprising Women

A free forum which provides access to workshops and events for female entrepreneurs, to share knowledge and experiences while offering the chance to make new connections - find out more.

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Fund

The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Change Fund is open to a wide range of organisations across community, sports, arts, and faith-based sectors to help them raise awareness and help end violence against women and girls across the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area - find out more about the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Change Fund.

Go Succeed - Grow and Scale

Support is available if your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Or if your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ or resources to achieve your ambitions. Business advisors will provide tailored 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ to help your business achieve its ambitions - .

Mid and East Antrim Food & Drink Network

Programme 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵing agri-food businesses with practical workshops, best practice visits, mentoring 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ, visits and sessions from key industry experts, and 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵing local producers to exhibit at speciality food and drink shows across the UK - find out more.

Social Enterprise Thematic Programme

Support for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning - find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.

Local enterprise agencies

Enterprise Northern Ireland agencies provide business improvement programmes, financing, events, workspace and meeting space. There are three local enterprise agencies in Mid and East Antrim Borough Council:

Tender for council contracts

You can seek tender opportunities as a way to grow your business in Mid and East Antrim. The council offers public tenders throughout the year in a wide range of business areas.

.

Invest Northern Ireland 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ for business

Invest NI can help your business compete successfully and function more efficiently by providing 91Ï㽶»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵ across a variety of areas.

.

Business events

Many organisations run business focused events in Mid and East Antrim, across a range of topics to help you develop your business.

You can .

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is an excellent location for doing business.

Local infrastructure

Mid and East Antrim businesses benefit from direct access to markets across the world.

The council area has strong road and rail links to Belfast and the economic corridor to Dublin.

Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport are both within a short travel time from the council area. The road network also provides fast and reliable access to major ports at Belfast and Larne.

The council area has direct road access into the European Union - .

Local workforce and business supply chains

There are around 139,200 residents in Mid and East Antrim.

There are 5,065 businesses operating in Mid and East Antrim, which is 6% of all businesses in Northern Ireland. The majority of the base is micro and small businesses:

• 91% micro (0-9 employees)
• 8% small (10-49 employees)
• 1% medium (50-249 employees)
• 0.3% large (250+ employees)

Some major business investors in the council area include Moore Concrete Products, Step and Clarke Facades. Service businesses make up the largest sector in Mid and East Antrim:

• 52% services
• 28% agriculture
• 13% construction
• 7% manufacturing

You can download an .