A group dedicated to encouraging women in the West Midlands to start their own business has been launched.
The Regional Women’s Enterprise Unit (RWEU) will provide training, mentoring and advice to women thinking about starting a business in an aim to improve levels of female entrepreneurial activity in the West Midlands.
The area currently has one of the lowest levels of businesses started by women in the UK.
Based on a similar series of projects in Washington DC, the unit is a pilot project led by Women Business Development Agency (WBDA) and Women in Rural Enterprise (WiRE).
It is being funded by Advantage West Midlands, the European Social Fund and the DTI’s Small Business Service.
Corporate director for economic development at Advantage West Midlands Dr Richard Hutchins, said: “This is the first element of our efforts to drive up enterprise in the West Midlands, specifically here among women. The West Midlands’ performance in women’s enterprise is poor and a recent CBI report highlighted the economic potential in this area.”
The new service comes into effect from 1 April 2007.
