Starting a business can be an exciting as well as daunting prospect.

Caerphilly council's business development team provide a range of assistance to help entrepreneurs to start a business and also give important support while the business is growing.

Based at the Tredomen Business and Technology Centre, Ystrad Mynach, the team is part of a unique one-stop-shop for business advice and support.

Here, the main business support agencies are brought together under one roof, giving ease of access to a wide range of services from help with writing a business plan through to employing people for the first time.

The team provide a range of advice including a dedicated ICT centre where you can try out the latest technologies before you buy and benefit from free and impartial guidance on suitable ICT equipment and software.

For the eligible entrepreneur starting their business and locating in Caerphilly county borough, there is financial assistance available, which can be used to cover the costs of capital items of expenditure such as equipment and tools etc. and initial overhead costs.

Grant assistance can be up to 50 per cent of eligible costs to a maximum of £1,000. This assistance is part of a range of discretionary grant schemes for business development projects in the county borough and are funded through the European Objective 1 Programme, the Assembly administration's Local Regeneration Fund and Caerphilly council.

For start-up businesses there is a range of incubator units and small workshops throughout the county borough from New Tredegar in the north to Risca in the south, many with flexible terms available such as 'easy-in easy-out'.

The serviced office accommodation at Tredomen Business Park has modular units (from 68sq m), which are ideally suited to new businesses in the technology-based sectors.

Also at Tredomen Business Park there is a range of rooms for hire that are suitable for one-to-one interviewing through to meetings for up to 40 people with breakout syndicate rooms.

If you are thinking about starting a business in Caerphilly county borough, contact the Business Development Team on 01443 866222 or e-mail business@caerphilly.gov.uk or visit our website on www.caerphilly.gov.uk/business.