BUSINESS LINK has launched a service to encourage entrepreneurship and increase the number of people in the Tees Valley becoming self-employed.

The Start-Up Service, formerly known as Start Right in Business, offers customers and potential customers a more responsive and coherent service than before.

The assistance has been updated to offer a wider service, encouraging people from all backgrounds to develop their business ideas.

Individuals can get help in a variety of ways, including one-to-one support, workshops, peer-group networking and brokered specialist services.

Business Link will work with selected organisations, including DHP Enterprise, Walker Hall Associates, Darlington Business Venture, Inbiz and Emago to deliver the service.

By March 2006, it aims to have helped 9,500 people start their own businesses and to ensure that 90 per cent of them still survive after a year.

Mike Lakinski, products and services manager at Business Link, said: "The Tees Valley is a vibrant region with a well-established entrepreneurial culture, and the new Start-Up Service is designed to further encourage and develop this, being supportive of our work to drive momentum, potential and confidence in the Tees Valley people to set up their own businesses."

For details, call (01642) 806666.