Swindon’s start-ups and young entrepreneurial businesses can book themselves onto a flight path for growth across the UK and into Europe under a new scheme launched this week offering free airline tickets.
Seats for Start Ups – a partnership between bmi regional, UK Trade & Investment and the Engine Shed innovation hub in Bristol – aims to help young, expanding businesses that need to attend face-to-face meetings in European cities to open up new horizons in key growth markets. 
Each month up to three businesses can win return flights to Europe on bmi regional flights from Bristol Airport to Paris, Aberdeen, Milan, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg and Dusseldorf.
The Seats for Start Ups scheme is open to any business trading less than five years and with an annual turnover of less than £500,000.
As well as offering the opportunity to travel to meet new business prospects face to face around the UK and Europe, winners will also benefit from a one-hour consultation with an expert coach at UKTI to provide invaluable advice about business growth.
bmi regional COO Jochen Schnadt said: “bmi regional is predominantly a business airline, though leisure travellers obviously appreciate our product and services too, so we’re really keen to find creative ways to support key target customers, commented.
“Seats for Start Ups is about helping entrepreneurs, allowing them to connect in person with new business leads and this new initiative is entirely in line with our philosophy that our business is about enabling business and connecting people and enterprises.
“Despite the increasing digitisation of our worlds, it’s always great to build real in-person relationships. bmi regional prides itself on its personal service and business focus, so we’re delighted to be part of this initiative.”
Bmi operates more than 150 weekly flights from Bristol Airport with departure times optimised for business travellers.
To enter Seats for Start Ups, businesses must describe in less than 500 words who they are, where they want to go and what they hope to achieve from the visit.
Applications for the March competition close on April 1 and the winners will be announced shortly afterwards. Further terms and conditions apply.
To enter, click here
