WITH just over a week to go before entries close for the Business Accelerators competition – the local round of which is being run by the Worcester News – prizes for the overall winner have been ramped up. Now emerging firms from across Worcestershire have the opportunity to seriously boost their fortunes on a national level.

The overall UK winner will receive free membership of the CBI for a year, free business advice from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales valued at £2,000, and an iPad from Freeagent, which is also offering a year’s free access to its accountancy software to each of the national finalists, valued at £300 per finalist.

That’s in addition to the competition’s main prize of mentoring from the campaign’s national ambassador Deborah Meaden, of Dragons’ Den, and a free ad campaign in their local newspaper, which for Worcestershire entries will be the Worcester News.

The Business Growth Fund has also contributed with a £10,000 cash sum for the overall winner.

“The Business Accelerators campaign was already offering a tremendous boost for emerging local companies,” said Worcester News editor Peter John. “These new prizes for the national winner put the icing on the cake.”

A good number of new firms from across the county have already submitted their entries for the competition, but there is always room for more before the closing date on Friday, November 16.

As with its highly successful initial campaign last year, Business Accelerators is setting out to find the top three local companies between one and three years old and is once again being backed by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, which is offering free membership for the overall Worcestershire winner, plus support, advice and guidance.

Such help and mentoring is a key part of the Government and private sector’s Business in You campaign which is supporting LBA for the first time.

The Worcester News Business Accelerators initiative is also being supported by Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and leading regional law firm Harrison Clark, which will offer legal advice to the winning companies through Rebecca Leask, senior associate in its corporate team.

Following the closure of entries on November 16, the panel of judges will review and shortlist entries before awarding the top three local businesses the prize of free advertising and business advice.

The chosen businesses will receive a substantial allocation of free advertising space within the Worcester News pages.

What’s more, one lucky business chosen from the regional winners across the country will get individual mentoring sessions from the LBA national ambassador Ms Meaden, who will become the firm’s consultant for a year.

The Local Business Accelerators’ search is open to all businesses that are active in their community, between one and three years old and full of potential.

If you run such a business, and want the chance to receive invaluable business support and advertising space in the Worcester News visit accelerateme.co.uk for more information about the scheme and how to enter.