Budding e-commerce entrepreneurs can sign up for a new series of workshops to help them get their businesses up and running.

Government’s Inspire eBusiness initiative kicks off this week with a number of classes on topics such as building a website and marketing.

The programme, formerly known as eMonday, was launched last year by the Department of E-Commerce in conjunction with the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

Economic Development Minister Grant Gibbons said: “The goal of eMonday was to support and encourage the development of local e-commerce and highlight the importance technology plays in enabling entrepreneurs.

“In 2013, we found that the extensive schedule of workshops was well received and supported by the entrepreneurial community and those interested in becoming online entrepreneurs. After additional research and a soft launch during Global Entrepreneurship Week in November 2013, we believe that evolving eMonday into a programme that focuses on education, awareness and facilitation provides greater support to those interested in starting an eBusiness and owners of existing eBusinesses who wish to wish to sell their products and services, both locally and internationally.”

The series of eBusiness workshops will take place weekly from Thursday, February 6 through to March 20. Workshops will take place at the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce from 5.30 — 7.30pm. Registration is available online for each session at www.inspireebusiness.bm.

Initiative partners include the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative of Bermuda and the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce Business Technology Division.

In tandem with the initiative, Government is holding a competition to send two eBusiness entrepreneurs to an East Coast Start Up Weekend at the end of the month.

“Start Up Weekends are intense 54-hour hands-on events during which entrepreneurs and budding entrepreneurs share ideas, form teams, build products and launch start-ups,” Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy said.

Competition applications are available from www.inspireebusiness.bm with a closing date of February 10 for submission.

The Minister added, “There will be other opportunities to experience the global phenomenon that is Start Up Weekend. Later this year, we will also see the launch of a Bermuda-based Start Up Weekend and will encourage entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs to participate.”

For more information about Inspire eBusiness, visit www.inspireebusiness.bm.