Bridge 2 Business

Bridge 2 Business connects, supports, and inspires 18–30-year-old students through enterprise. Creating inspiring business from start to finish, Bridge 2 Business could help you get one step ahead.

As a student, you may not have thought about setting up your own business yet, but this opportunity gives you life skills while allowing you to explore a business idea and make it a reality in the future.

Whether you’re looking to start up a business, looking to learn new skills and help you gain confidence; Bridge 2 Business will help you develop your abilities through enterprise activity.
They will be holding events and workshops around all colleges across Scotland so make sure to get involved!

Find out how you can participate in Bridge 2 Business activities and programmes by visiting the website and/or following them on socials @bridge2business.

Programme Executive - Ailsa Paton

Former student of Dumfries and Galloway College, Ailsa Paton is a proud business owner of unique fitness classes in Dumfries and Galloway. She's ready to help and inspire you to learn everything about enterprise.

Ailsa is passionate about her role as Programme Executive for Young Enterprise Scotland, helping students around Dumfries and Galloway using her experience and knowledge.

#Femaleboss

Our #FemaleBoss Initiative is back and bigger than ever! We are going into our 3rd year of this initiative.

This time around, our female-focused leadership and enterprise Initiative will welcome students aged 18-30, across colleges in Scotland to take part in our inspiring and empowering weekly programme, across 10 weeks. #FemaleBoss will give college students access to enterprise-focused workshops, confidence coaching, mentorship, and access to the biggest funding pot yet, to help close that gap and get young women started up in business!

Grants Available

Test the Market Grant £100
Start-Er Up Grant £1000
Mov-Er Up Grant £2000

These sessions will start at 4pm every Thursday for 10 weeks starting on the 26th January 2023.

Register your interest

Click here to register

Social Innovators Challenge

Our Social Innovators challenge asks students from across colleges in Scotland, to explore a business idea which can help people or the planet.

In January 2023, we will be looking for students, who want to work individually or as part of a team, to explore an idea, that could help people or the planet.

You don’t need to have an idea right now, but just an interest in developing one – which we’ll help you with.

If you are interested in the above challenge, please contact our Programme Executive, Ailsa Paton who can send over the interest form as soon as it is live

Take part in the Social Innovators Challenge

Click here to register

Mentoring Programme

Our Mentoring programme has been created to offer students further support with their entrepreneurial journeys. Whether you are looking for support with understanding your finances or you’re looking to develop a marketing strategy, we have people who we can connect you with to support you further.

All you need to do is have a 121 with your Bridge 2 Business representative to discuss the support you are looking for and we will look at our bank of mentors and see who we think would be the best fit for you. Once we link you in with a mentor, we will leave you both to connect, get to know and support each other.

Interested? All you need to do is contact our Programme Executive, Ailsa Paton to get the ball rolling!

121 start-up support

During our 121 start-up support sessions we discuss the support the students require, share lots of free resources and link students in with other supporting organisations or entrepreneurs who are willing to support and mentor the students further.

We also have our ‘Test the Market Grant’, which offers students aged 18-30 a small grant up to £100, to help give them that financial boost right at the start of their business’s journey.

If you would be interested in having a 121, please contact our Programme Executive, Ailsa Paton to arrange a 45-minute Teams call or in-person meeting to discuss this further.