This section advises on how Green Shoots can help develop your business, or help answer your recycling questions.

The objective of providing an incubation service is to help new business owners to ensure their business concept is viable, to help them maximise the impact of their Business Plan, and to guide them towards the most effective funding campaign. Thereafter, the objective of the incubation service is to support new businesses until they reach self-sustaining life, and to provide that support effectively through the early stages, which the company might not otherwise be able to negotiate.

Helping You Develop a New Business Idea for the Recycling Sector – Pre-Incubation

At the pre-incubation stage, Green Shoots will work with you to examine the viability of your business idea and the viability of incubation in the following terms:

• Is the concept right?  Is it complete, and does it fit a gap in the market?
• What is its status?  Does the concept require external support in order to progress?  Is it at a stage of development that needs expertise it cannot provide for itself, and, if so, what is that expertise?  How far can its owners develop the concept without any external support?
• Does the concept meet Green Shoots’ criteria? (Link)
• Is the Business Plan complete and right?
• Is the team right? 
• Is funding available or likely to be available?
• Is the business feasible?

The conclusion of pre-incubation is the decision to go or not with the development of the business.  This then leads to full incubation.

If necessary, before Pre-Incubation, your training will be required. (Link)

Helping You Develop a New Business in the Recycling Sector – Incubation

The incubation process will take your business through the foundation stages for starting and establishing its trading activities.

• Company Formation
• Fund-raising
• Implementation of the Business Plan
• Management Training and Development

It will be based on a mentoring process provided by those with the experience of start-up business to help you through successfully.

The most appropriate incubation process will be outlined at the end of the pre-incubation phase, and will depend crucially upon the skills of your management team.  Possible additional services may include:

Information technology: Green Shoots may provide e-mail services and addresses, a link to the Green Shoots website (which may also offer advertising) and a website design service. These will be offered at substantially lower prices than the market norms.

Market Research: Green Shoots will provide research on market potential, location of new markets, competition, legislation or policy changes that may affect product development.

Marketing: Green Shoots will provide marketing and advertising specialists who will help develop the marketing strategy and advertising materials.                                      

Legal and Administration: Green Shoots will provide advice on professional services, including legal support, accountancy, insurances, quality assurance, standards and business registration. Green Shoots will also be able to provide advice on human resource issues, such as employment terms and training.

Property and Location: Green Shoots will be able to offer assistance on finding property.

Suppliers and Customers: Green Shoots will offer access to networks of potential purchasers and suppliers.

Funding: Green Shoots will offer fund raising advice, and guide the development of a funding campaign.

How we charge

The Green Shoots service will be offered at no charge in its initial stages, except in the case of established businesses requiring tactical input.  The charge rates will apply to tenants when they become sufficiently successful to enable payment, and will be based on a negotiated rate.