A business in Ely has been shortlisted in the Business & IP Centre Cambridgeshire & Peterborough’s Jumpstart grant programme.

Bluewindow Training Ltd managed by Phil Carter is amongst seven other businesses up for funding and business support packages.

BIPC Jumpstart was launched in November 2021. It offers grants, resources and support to local start-up businesses.

A total of £30k of grants is set to be awarded as a key benefit of the programme; as well as further prizes and packages.

The confirmed shortlist is:

  • Annika Bennett, Acben Music – Cambridge
  • Phil Carter, Bluewindow Training Ltd - Ely
  • Amy Corney, Acorn Flower Farm - Ramsey
  • Lisa Kent, REUSE2GO - Cambridge
  • Verity Lott, Healthy marketing consultancy service - Peterborough
  • Christopher Ord, SWIM – Hampton, Peterborough
  • Emma Peters, GLO – St Neots
  • Rebekah Watson, Rebekah Daven Photography – Wyton

In total, BIPC applicants collectively requested over £200,000 worth of grant support, demonstrating the continuing need for funding for local pre-start and start-up businesses.

Applications were reviewed by three BIPC Jumpstart consultants: Cllr Lis Every (East Cambridgeshire), Tom Hennesy (chief executive of Opportunity Peterborough) and local restauranteur Andy Maul (Bygones in Wisbech).

Consultants chose the final shortlist based on strict criteria, and will support and mentor the programme applicants in the run up to a live pitching event where the eventual winners will be chosen.

Tom said: “Reviewing the Jumpstart applications was a clear reminder as to the incredible breadth of pre-start and start-up businesses we have here in Cambridgeshire.

“Choosing our eventual shortlist was a challenge due to the outstanding level of entries we received, but we’re hugely excited to announce our final eight businesses chosen to go through to the final stage.”

He added: “We look forward to seeing how they perform in the pitch further to our follow-up mentoring and we send congratulations to them all”.

Phil, alongside the other seven businesses will pitch to judges at Cambridge Central Library on Monday February 28.

Winners will be chosen by four judges and announced on March 2.

Businesses that win will be in with a chance of securing up to £5,000 in grant funding.

More information about the BIPC Jumpstart programme is available to view online.