A BOLTON accountancy firm is giving budding entrepreneurs the chance to turn their business dream into a reality – with a five-figure investment.

Applications for Baldwins Accountants’ KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards have opened in the region.

The awards encourage 18 to 25-year-olds to present their idea and business plan, with the winner securing a £20,000 – a £10,000 grant along with £10,000 worth of mentoring and accountancy advice.

The two runners up will also be presented with £5,000 worth of mentoring and accountancy advice. Applications will be whittled down to ten semi-finalists who will be invited to present their business idea to Baldwins’ senior management.

From here, three lucky finalists will be invited to present their ideas in front of a live audience at a Gala dinner on 16 November 2017 at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham. The eventual winner is voted for by the audience.

2016 Winners Sophie Kelly and Susie Beere successfully entered Baldwins Kickstart Young Entrepreneur Awards with their idea for a dedicated ski and snowboarding clothing range solely for women, called Snooks.

The expansion of the KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards into the North West follows Baldwins’ recent arrival in the region after joining forces with accountancy firm CLB Coopers, which has offices in Manchester, Lancaster and Bolton.

David Baldwin, director of Baldwins Accountants, which has an office in Bolton, added: “Bringing through the next generation of entrepreneurs is really important to us, and while these awards are all about celebrating our country’s young entrepreneurs, it also provides us with the chance to offer each of our ten semi-finalists advice on how to take their idea to the next level.”

The deadline for entries into the KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards is 31 August 2017. For more information on the KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards visit www.baldwinsaccountants.co.uk