BUSINESS people in York and North Yorkshire with brilliant ideas revving up to take off can hit the accelerator with support from a newly-formed network of professionals and specialists.

The Business Accelerator Network (BAN) has been launched by Business Link York and North Yorkshire in partnership with Yorkshire Forward, to help entrepreneurs with high growth potential businesses and start-up ideas to take the fast-track route to achieving their goals.

The network draws on the expertise of intermediaries such as lawyers, patent specialists, corporate financiers, business angels, consultants and other advisers.

They will deliver tailored support to entrepreneurs within York and North Yorkshire who are capable of turning their ideas into a £150,000 turnover business in the first year, rising to £1 million turnover by the third year of trading.

Business Link high growth business champion Andrew Marran said: "Entrepreneurs are essential to a healthy economy because they generate wealth, create jobs and have a positive spin-off value for the rest of the business community.

"Our objective is to identify such individuals and, by providing them with support that is appropriate to their needs, enable them to convert their entrepreneurial ideas into successful high-growth businesses."

Fellow high growth business champion Lynne Martin said: "The network includes a diverse range of experienced business specialists and business support practitioners from the public and private sectors along with existing entrepreneurs.

"Collectively, they are known as friends, who are on hand to provide both advice and mentoring.

"Entrepreneurs with businesses identified as having high growth potential will be invited to become associates of the network and will be able to apply for Business Development Awards of up to £10,000 towards the cost of specialist advice and support."

In addition, associates will be able to attend business planning and finance presentations and visits to established high-growth businesses, while having access to a wide range of Business Link core services, including masterclasses, international trade, innovation and product development, and application of ICT in business.

The Business Accelerator Network has received funding from Yorkshire Forward, the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Development Agency and from the European Union Regional Development Fund.

Alex McWhirter, head of enterprise at Yorkshire Forward, said that the new Network had "the potential to make a significant impact in York and North Yorkshire.

"Entrepreneurs are now playing a vital role in our region's economy and this venture will provide them with the opportunity to achieve even more."

Updated: 12:00 Tuesday, August 03, 2004