FDA Boot Camp and Accelerator | ONE

The ONE Food and Drink Boot Camp and Accelerator will help you plan for success if you have a good idea, a new product or are starting to manufacture.

• Do you have an exciting food or drink manufacturing idea?
• Are you passionate about food and drink and want to turn a hobby into a business?
• Could your family-favourite recipe be the start of a new product?
• Are you considering a career change and see a future in the growing food and drink sector?
• Do you want to add value to farm produce and diversify your business?
• Have you been inspired by consumers' interest in local products?
• Do you want to start your own food and drink business, have lots of ideas but don’t know which to pursue?
• Have you thought about customers and market demand?

The Food and Drink Boot Camp and Accelerator will support you to test and develop your concept in a supportive and confidential environment; understand consumers, markets and production; and can provide access to follow-on grant funding for your next steps.

APPLY NOW TO ACCELERATE YOUR START-UP.

The programme is for people and businesses in north east Scotland. It is free and runs January to March 2022 in two parts.

Boot Camp comprises 10 hours over two workshops (7 January in-person and 14 January via Zoom) and four hours of self-learning.

Accelerator (for selected companies) comprises 40 hours in total (28 hours of workshops and 12 hours self-learning) and runs mid-January to end of March.

Boot Camp participants have the opportunity to pitch for a place on the Accelerator. Ambitious start-ups that do not take part in the Boot Camp may also be selected to join the Accelerator.

Taking part will enable you to:

• Learn from sector experts with business growth, product development and sales experience
• Access advice, insights and tools to test commercial potential and deliver early-stage growth
• Take part in practical workshops (online and in-person) and gain insights from inspiring regional case studies
• Potentially benefit from access to follow-on grant funding
• Receive support from the food, drink and agriculture sector team at Opportunity North East

The Food and Drink Boot Camp and Accelerator is led and delivered by Opportunity North East with funding from the Scottish Government's North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF).

Getting involved is subject to meeting a few criteria:

• You live in north east Scotland
• Your production, if you are already manufacturing, is based in the region
• Your business, if you have one, is registered in the region
• Your idea or business is about a manufactured food and drink product

If you are ready to develop your food and drink idea or to start growing your early-stage business, apply today.The deadline for applications is 31 December 2021.

APPLY NOW TO ACCELERATE YOUR START-UP.

North east Scotland provides 20% of Scotland's total food and drink output with more than 22,000 people in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire working across global brands, dynamic scaling businesses and ambitious start-ups. You could be part of this high-growth sector as the region continues to diversify its economy and leads the country in premium products for global markets and low-carbon, sustainable production from land and sea.