Starting your business

If you are thinking of starting or acquiring a new venture, we can help you get your business off to the right start.

Our highly experienced and qualified business advisers can talk you through your idea and help you plan your business, access funding, access mentoring and other specialist support, as well as make valuable connections.

As deliverers of Business Gateway start up and growth services in Edinburgh and Lothians, we can help you access a range of free business skills seminars and workshops.

Our services are available through our city centre offices as well as our business incubators in Craigmillar, Granton and Wester Hailes. Find out more about how we can help by contacting our Customer Services Team.

Support for social enterprises and third sector organisations

We also provide specialist business development and mentoring support to social enterprises and third sector organisations.

Support for older people

If you're 50 or over and thinking of starting your own business, you can get some extra help through our SELECT programme.

Support for Young Enterprise

As well as Business Gateway, we provide additional support to young people who are keen to set up and run their own businesses. If you are aged 16 to 24-years old, you can tap into our Young Enterprise programme. The Young Enterprise Guide project is funded by and delivered in Partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council.

If you are aged 16 to 24-years old, you can tap into our Young Enterprise programme. It aims to help young people to explore self-employment as a career option before they are ready to access mainstream business start up support.

We also work closely with the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust, which helps 18 to 25-year olds (or up to 30-year olds with a disability) to start up and develop their own business.