Barclays offer £500,000 to entrepreneurs

The competition will award an equal share of £500,000 in cash to each of the ten freshest business ideas in the UK. It comes after research by Barclays showed that small to medium enterprises are expected to create two million new jobs for the economy over the coming year.

Online Dragon Julie Meyer is backing the campaign, in which panel of judges will shortlist a total of 30 business ideas before the public vote for the winner in their region.

"The UK is now the world's breeding ground of the brightest and most inventive business ideas and the last 12 months has in many cases steeled people's determination to make a success of a new venture," said Julie Meyer.

"I have seen time and again how a good idea with the right support can change lives, not just of those that initially developed it but the people involved in its continued growth and success."

For more information and to enter vist  www.takeonesmallstep.co.uk