The New Entrepreneur Scholarship (NES) - led by enterprise agency Entrust - aims to provide practical advice with the help of counsellors, academics and successful entrepreneurs.

The scheme has helped 117 firms get off the ground on Tyneside in the past five years. After the initial four-month scholarship, scheme members continue to receive counselling and advice.

NES manager Richard Moffitt told icNewcastle:

"If people have the dream, NES can make it reality."