The Bermuda Economic Development Corporation is accepting applications for its Enterprise Bermuda Accelerator programme.

The six-to-seven-month intensive programme provides support to small and medium-sized business owners to help them to scale their businesses.

Utilising the award-winning StreetWise “MBA” curriculum and a facilitated peer-learning method, entrepreneurs will receive hands-on training, networking and industry support to help them to scale their businesses.

The BEDC said the programme will support business owners who have been in business for more than three years, have at least one full-time employee besides the owner and earn gross annual revenue between $100,000 and $5 million.

It is also open to non-profit managers.

Participants will receive tools to help to advance their business acumen, financial management, marketing and sales strategies, human resource tactics, business strategy development and strategies to access capital and develop contracts.

Jamillah Lodge, BEDC’s director of communications and development, said: “If you are an entrepreneur and are looking for a way to scale or grow your seasoned business, then the Enterprise Bermuda Accelerator programme is for you.

“Supporting businesses that are ready to scale is going to be key in helping to boost economic recovery in Bermuda. Through this programme we are investing into the local business infrastructure by providing access to a proven curriculum.”

The BEDC said it has partnered with the private sector to provide successful applicants with access to top industry experts to help to deliver the curriculum and establish broader networking opportunities.

“For the past four years, we have been proud to partner with the BEDC to bring the networks, knowledge and knowhow of our programming to the business community,” said Interise CEO Darrell Byers.

“As small businesses continue to recover from the pandemic, it is imperative to support their recovery — this programme does that. Small business recovery and growth directly affects local job and wealth creation and therefore, affects the overall economic recovery.”

Enterprise Bermuda starts on October 27 and will run biweekly on Thursdays for 13 sessions over seven months.

“If you are an entrepreneur that has already reached moderate growth and are thinking about how you can take your business to the next level, then this course is perfect for you,” said Tee Ogunyemi, StreetWise facilitator.

“This is the ideal course because of the calibre of the course materials and due to the peer-to-peer learning model, which allows participants to liaise with other CEOs in local business.”

The BEDC will hold a virtual information session on September 26, which will allow interested entrepreneurs to learn more about the programme, meet the facilitator, programme manager and network with previous graduates and business owners that have completed the curriculum.

Interested participants have until October 3 to apply for Enterprise Bermuda.

www.bedc.bm

www.interise.org