Big ideas wanted! How one local authority is nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurial business leaders

At a time when small businesses face mounting challenges and economic uncertainty, the role of local councils has never been more important.

While national policies set the framework, it is often local authorities who have the deepest understanding of their communities and the ability to deliver practical, tailored support.

In Reigate & Banstead, the Entrepreneur Academy is a shining example of how a local initiative can nurture a flourishing business community. For more than a decade, this council-led programme has been supporting aspiring entrepreneurs, helping to transform entrepreneurial ambition into economic success.

From the ground up

The Economic Prosperity Team at Reigate & Banstead Borough Council recently celebrated a decade of supporting local businesses to start, develop and grow. With a strong understanding of local business needs, we have been able to provide targeted local resources tailored to the needs of our community. One of our flagship programmes is the aforementioned Entrepreneur Academy, a programme that blends expert training, mentorship, and grant funding to nurture entrepreneurial talent in the borough.

Where ideas take flight

Launched in 2013, the Reigate & Banstead Entrepreneur Academy is a six-month, structured programme for local residents with a business idea or early-stage venture. Our goal is to equip participants with essential business skills, boost their confidence, and connect them with the right people to transform ideas into resilient enterprises.

 The curriculum is delivered by local experts and covers topics including marketing and branding, raising finance, financial forecasting, sales strategy, and legal and regulatory compliance. A well-connected mentor looks after the group throughout the process, offering constructive feedback and introductions to valuable local contacts.

The Academy is hosted at East Surrey College, providing participants with a professional learning environment away from daily distractions. At the end of the six months, participants present their business ideas to a panel of respected local business leaders in a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style pitch, competing for up to £5,000 in grant funding.

Stronger together

One of the Academy’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to foster a community of support. 

Participants often form lasting relationships that continue well beyond the end of the programme. This shared experience helps combat the isolation that many early-stage entrepreneurs face.

Importantly, support doesn’t stop when the programme ends. Graduates benefit from continued access to our business support services, networking opportunities, and grant funding.

From ideas to impact

Since its launch, the Entrepreneur Academy has supported more than 100 local residents in developing and launching their business ideas, and we have awarded £60,000 in prize grant funding. Many of our participants have gone on to establish highly successful businesses across a wide range of industries. For others, the journey has helped clarify that entrepreneurship isn’t the right path – an equally valuable outcome.

The Academy means something different to every participant. For some, it’s about building confidence or acquiring core business skills. For others, it is the chance to secure crucial funding. What unites them all is the strong peer community that forms during the programme.

Here are just a few of the inspiring success stories to have come out of the Entrepreneur Academy:

eFOLDi’s ride to success

One of our very first Academy participants, Sumi, came to us in 2015 with a groundbreaking product idea – the eFOLDi foldable mobility scooter. After successfully completing the Entrepreneur Academy and being selected as the winner by the Dragons, Sumi used her £5,000 prize money to secure an international patent.

By 2017, she had secured £120k in seed investment from Sir Richard Branson’s VOOM competition and, by 2019, raised more than £1.5m through four rounds of crowdfunding. Today, her Redhill-based company has grown hugely in terms of turnover, expanding both its product range and global customer base with an institutional investment of £2.5m.

Fired up and ready to grow

When Ruth joined the Entrepreneur Academy in 2018, she was already running DoodlePippin, a ceramics business inspired by ancient millefiori techniques. She entered the programme with plans to expand her product range and left with so much more.

After winning the ‘Dragons’ Den’ pitch, Ruth launched a new arm of her business supplying ceramic tiles featuring her unique millefiori designs. She explains: “I learnt a lot about how to start and run a business but, for me, it was the camaraderie of the other entrepreneurs that was most valuable. I learnt so much from them.”

From dreams to dragons

In 2016, Nazanin joined the Entrepreneur Academy with an idea related to renewable energy, but she also quietly dreamed of launching a tutoring business. Though she didn’t win the funding prize, the experience planted the seed that would eventually become Powertutors, a specialist tuition agency focused on special educational needs (SEN).

Fast forward to the present day and that idea has blossomed into a thriving company with a seven-figure turnover. Today, Nazanin has come full circle, returning to the Academy as one of the programme’s ‘Dragons’. 

Naz reflects: “The Entrepreneur Academy transformed my life. When I had nothing but a business idea, everything seemed hazy and uncertain. The programme not only provided me with the essential building blocks to kickstart my business, but also connected me with a close-knit community of like-minded individuals facing similar challenges. While victory eluded me, those building blocks became the cornerstone of my success, propelling my business to a seven-figure enterprise now firmly rooted in Reigate & Banstead.”

Our top tips if you are thinking of running a business start-up programme

• Design with context – tailor your programme to reflect local needs and challenges.
• Prioritise accessibility – keep it free and easy to access, both in format and location.
• Embed long-term support – maintain engagement and offer continued business advice.
• Leverage partnerships – work closely with business mentors, local colleges, and other community organisations.

Final thoughts

The Reigate & Banstead Entrepreneur Academy demonstrates the powerful role local authorities can play in nurturing enterprise. By blending practical training with relationship building and long-term support, councils can achieve so much – they can lay the foundations for thriving local economies and resilient business communities.

Dr Lauren Read is Economic Prosperity Officer at Reigate & Banstead Borough Council.

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