A CALL HAS BEEN ISSUED for those with a bright business idea to bid for funding courtesy of the latest Moray Soup for Business event next month.
Being held at Moray College UHI on November 14, entrants will be invited to dine on soup at an event designed to support and fund small businesses with big ideas.
The event is ideally suited for new businesses that lack funding and seeking to take their idea to the next level, or perhaps require help with research and marketing. Ideas presented at the SOUP provide an opportunity to convince other entrants – and gain enough support to win the cash pot.
Stressing that time is running out for entry, with the closing date set as Friday, November 3, Allane Hay, Lecturer in Business Management at Moray College UHI said: “A £5 donation gets you a bowl of soup, some bread and a vote for an enterprise or entrepreneur with ideas that will benefit our Moray community. Innovative ideas deserve your vote, make sure you are there to support them.”
SOUP was set up in the USA to explore new approaches to arts administration and funding with the idea that people come together to share a dinner and hear people’s ideas. Everyone makes a suggested donation of £5 but anyone can contribute more if they wish – and the successful idea wins the donations on the night.
Moray College UHI set up their version of Moray SOUP, over a year ago – it is led by business, administration and accounting students along with business and community leaders from Moray.
Past winners include Elgin Youth Café’s twinning project with Melkbos Care Centre in South Africa and money to help a project to train people to use Defibrillators for Moray.
Yvonne Murray who was behind the defibrillators for Moray Scheme that won funding in 2016. She said: “Winning the Moray SOUP enabled me to purchase a trainer defibrillator and train over 300 people in CPR and the use of the defibrillator.
“This has raised awareness of the importance of knowing these skills. The project has promoted the cause for public accessible defibrillators and three have been placed in Lossiemouth in the past month.”
The Business SOUP is included in Moray Business Week 2017 for the first time, between Wednesday November 8 and November 15. The week includes a number of new and innovative courses, seminars and events are being held in Elgin and Forres to support Moray businesses to grow.
This year the theme is connect digitally and grow globally to encourage businesses to embrace the digital age.
There are opportunities to try out 3D cameras, experience the latest virtual reality and augmented reality as well as a course for those who want to build their own website or just know more about what social media is all about, the events over the week are for all abilities and all levels of knowledge of digital connectivity.
All but three of the Business Week events are free to attend although attendees must register in advance, and are being held in Forres and Elgin.
More details and tickets are available online through Eventbrite