News Article

Businesses that can demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit and commercial viability are invited to enter the Entrepreneur Challenge.  A maximum of seven businesses will be chosen to receive interest free funding for a period of three years.

Entries are allocated into seven regions which include:

• Scotland
• North East England
• North West England & North Wales
• Midlands & East Anglia
• London
• South East England
• South West England & South Wales

A winner is chosen from each region and receives up to £5 million interest free for three years, three years’ free standard transactional banking, networking opportunities with entrepreneurs at regional and national events, coverage by The Sunday Times and Times Online and local media exposure.  An Entrepreneur of the Year will be chosen from one of the seven regional winners and will also receive additional national press exposure, networking opportunities and mentoring by a UK entrepreneur.

Regional finalists will also be offered three years’ free standard banking and may be eligible to receive a funding package. 

To be eligible to apply, organisations must:

• have a turnover of at least £2 million;
• demonstrate continuous trading for the last three years at the closing date;
• show two years’ sustained growth in sales, revenue, profit or otherwise;
• be wholly or partly privately owned;
• be a business operating in England, Scotland, Wales or the global market; and
• be driven by a motivated and able management team.

Organisations may be of any size and from any sector excluding financial services and not-for-profit organisations.

For more information, please visit https://entrepreneurs.bankofscotland.co.uk/challenge/entry_criteria/