Starting a business
Whatever your motivations are to start a business and go self-employed, there is a range of local and national support available to give your business the best possible start.
What to expect
Expect plenty of help to get you started and support you through the early stages. From business planning and market research to managing finances and marketing, you’ll find a wealth of resources and assistance.
National programs provide both local and online support. Additionally local training and support providers can also help you to start a business and help to go self-employed.
Depending on eligibility, training and support providers can help overcome barriers that could make it difficult to go self-employed and can help to connect the dots to help navigate the support to give you the best chance to get your idea off the ground.
Developing your idea
Business Wales provide a comprehensive range of guides and fact sheets on topics such as business planning, market research, marketing, and managing finances. They also offer a Business Online Support Service (BOSS) with interactive courses.
Access their Business Online Support Service: Homepage | BOSS (gov.wales)
Big Ideas Wales is aimed at people under 25, providing workshops and digital guides to help you develop your business ideas. They also offer one-to-one business advisors, entrepreneur mentors and young person start up grant of up to £2000
Explore their route map to starting a business: Starting a business routemap | Business Wales – Big Ideas (gov.wales)
M-Sparc & The Enterprise Hub Provides entrepreneurs with the knowledge, guidance, inspiration and space to transform their idea into a successful business. Their all-new platform MySparc is a digital connection to business support, on your terms, in your own time, in one place. MySparc can help people with ideas, start-ups, and small businesses by linking them to business support agents and dedicated advisors.
Funding opportunities
Business Start Up
Skills, Training and Recruitment
Business funding
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Development Bank of Wales | Micro Loans
Development Bank of Wales provide micro loans from £1,000 to £100,000 for start-up growth funding to help you get off the ground or support your early years. If you’re looking for finance to launch your business then a personal cash contribution is usually required. Whatever sector you’re going into, start up loans can help you cover the setup costs.
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Big Ideas Wales | Young Person’s Start Up Grant
The Young Person’s Start Up Grant will enable young people not in education, employment or training to start their own business, create a social enterprise, become self-employed, a freelancer or social entrepreneur in Wales. A grant of up to £2,000 is available to help young people starting a business. To ensure the business has the best possible chance to succeed, the grant will be available alongside a package of support that will include one-to-one advice, webinars to build confidence in business practices and develop plans for starting a business.
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DWP Youth Jobs Grant
The Youth Jobs Grant supports employers in Wales to create jobs for 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for 6+ months. Eligible organisations (of any size, registered with HMRC and actively trading) can receive up to £3,000 per role, paid in stages. Roles must be at least 25 hours per week, last 4+ months, pay minimum wage, and be genuine new positions. Employers apply once via Find a Grant, then can submit vacancies if approved.
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Flexible Skills Fund – Digital & AI
The Flexible Skills Programme by Business Wales offers enhanced funding support to businesses in Wales to help address advanced digital and artificial intelligence (AI) skills gaps and upskill their workforce in areas such as software and web development, data analytics, cyber security, technology project management, and AI-specific skills including machine learning, natural language processing, and AI deployment. All approved training courses under this pathway will attract a 75% contribution towards the total eligible costs from the Welsh Government and requires businesses to be based in Wales, solvent, and committed to completing training by March 2027.
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Personal Learning Account (PLA)
Are you over 19 and living in Wales, earning under *£34,303 a year and looking to develop a career in a priority sector? Personal Learning Accounts provide flexible and fully funded learning, either online or face to face or a combination of both. *There is no earning cap of £34,303 on approved courses or qualifications in digital or green skills.
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Flexible Skills Fund
The Flexible Skills Programme by Business Wales offers funding support to businesses in Wales to help address skills gaps and upskill their workforce targeting Leadership and Management, Exporting Skills, Engineering and Manufacturing, Creative Sector, Net Zero Challenges, and Tourism and Hospitality All approved training courses will attract a 50% contribution towards the total eligible costs from the Welsh Government and requires businesses to be based in Wales, solvent, and committed to completing training by March 2027.
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Ambition North Wales Advanced Wireless Technology Grant
Funding for North Wales organisations to invest in advanced wireless technologies like 5G, Wi‑Fi and IoT to improve productivity. Grants support capital costs for implementing projects, with at least 50% match funding required. Open to all sectors, applicants must operate in North Wales, deliver projects locally, and show benefits such as job creation and economic impact
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Ambition North Wales Clean Energy Fund
Funding is available in North Wales to help businesses and community organisations invest in clean energy and decarbonisation projects, with the aim of reducing costs, improving efficiency and creating new opportunities. Examples of eligible projects include Renewable energy generation and infrastructure, Smart energy solutions including storage, Energy efficiency, decarbonisation and retrofit, Manufacturing and supply chain opportunities.
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Development Bank of Wales | Large Business Loans
Whether you need finance to improve working capital, accelerate growth, or buy a business, there are loans that can be tailored to fit your requirements. With local account managers providing face-to-face contact and ongoing support, they ensure they understand your business’ specific needs and help you to achieve your potential. They can combine loans and equity finance, and work alongside other finance providers (banks, crowdfunders, grants, investors and other lenders) to provide a bespoke funding package for your business.
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Development Bank of Wales | Green Business Loan Scheme
Whether you’re just starting or continuing your business’s decarbonisation journey, the Green Business Loan Scheme offers an incentivised funding package to support your business. Loans from £1,000 to £1.5m are available, as well as expert advice and funding for energy consultancy.
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Business Start Up
Skills, Training and Recruitment
Business funding
Training and support providers
Get in touch with some of the training and support providers in North Wales.
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