GEW:X-Forces in Gosport with Solent LEP and Caroline Dinenage MP

Caroline Dinenage MP, hosted the Gosport constituency’s first ever Enterprise Fair today as part of Gosport Borough Council’s week-long celebrations for Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Local businesses, aspiring entrepreneurs and those due to leaving the Armed Forces are heard from a high-profile list of inspiring speakers including successful local business owners James Baggott of Blackball Media; XF Entrepreneur Don Hodgson of Aardvark Photography; Daren Holt of Angel Marine and Sir Robin Knox Johnston, sailor, explorer and Chairman of Gosport based Clipper Ventures plc.

There was also the opportunity to network with a range of exciting delegates from business support organisations including: the Department for International Trade, the Start Up Loans Company, Enterprise First, and British Marine to name just a few.

The event was hosted in partnership with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and supported by X-Forces, British Marine and Gosport Borough Council.

Speaking ahead of the event, Caroline said:

“I am very excited to welcome local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to this event, which will provide them with ample opportunity to hear about the support they need to grow their business or realise their ambitions of becoming an entrepreneur. I have been delighted with the enthusiasm for this event – with over 130 guests already signed up it is clear that the Gosport constituency is ready for business! It would be great to fill the last few places, so do RSVP if you’d like to come along to hear more about entrepreneurship.”

Ren Kapur MBE, our Founder and CEO, said ahead of her keynote speech at the event:

“Enterprise Skills are so important to the UK Economy, and X-Forces is proud to be working with Solent LEP to help the Armed Forces Community to launch, start and scale-up their businesses. Having launched over 750 businesses in the UK, X-Forces have witnessed this extraordinary community become one of the most successful cohorts of small business owners. Unlocking the skills that they have acquired in the Forces and coupling these with commercial knowhow, support and on-going mentoring is proving to be an invaluable model. Working with Solent LEP cultivates this and together we are able to build and deliver a service where is it needed, at the heart of small business community, in Gosport.”