Young Dragons, a Community Interest company based in Swansea, in partnership with the Village Hotel and supported by Big Ideas Wales, have received a small grant from the National Lottery’s Awards for All to establish Seed Pod, an initiative to support early stage start-up businesses.

“More and more young people see self-employment as a viable career these days but discover it can be a lonely business” said Kathryn David, Co-Director of Young Dragons. The Seed Pod, which launches on 16th October at the Village Hotel, will offer a working space where young entrepreneurs can meet on a weekly basis to network and benefit from a programme of specialist events and advice provided by Big Ideas Wales and local business people who have agreed to give their time and expertise.

Emily Hunt, Sales Director said. It is a pleasure to be able to offer a professional and collaborative working environment for our next generation of entrepreneurs. Seed Pod is our way of being a hub for the community.

Whilst Seed Pod is open to any new start-up, it is primarily aimed at young entrepreneurs and has support from Swansea University, UWTSD and the Princes Trust who see it as a useful resource.

Miranda Thomas, Big Ideas Wales Business Adviser, said “starting and running a business can be a scary and can be especially daunting for a young person. The main aim of the Seed Pod is to provide an environment where young people can feel supported and to provide a platform for them to develop their networks as well as their business knowledge and confidence. They will benefit from access to a wide range of support along with the opportunity to meet and work alongside other young business owners at various stages of their journeys.”

The Seed Pod follows on from the Swansea Seed Fund which provides a grant of £500 to nurture and support young entrepreneurs to take their ideas forward into business. “Seed Pod offers a natural progression route for those who have received Seed Fund support” said Sue Poole, Director of Young Dragons. “Financial support is important but on-going advice and guidance is essential for the survival of young businesses and the future of the local economy.”

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