ONLY DAYS REMAIN BEFORE ENTRIES CLOSE FOR RUNNING THE GAUNTLET 2007

The clock is ticking towards midnight on 2 September 2007 when entries to the East of England Development Agency's (EEDA) 'running the gauntlet 2007' investment competition and free business education programme for entrepreneurs in the East of England closes.

So far over 250 entrepreneurs have entered the competition whose investors - CREATE, SEP, NW Brown and Low Carbon Accelerator - are offering a share in funding up to £2m to investable businesses.

Entrants benefit from the wide range of learning opportunities through EEDA's nine commercial partners - Bailey Fisher, Cambridge Marketing College, Grant Thornton, HSBC, Microsoft UK, Mudhut Communication, Sagentia, Taylor Vinters and The Commercialisation Company - amounting to £250,000 of specialist in-kind advice. This will gather pace after the closure date to help entrants prepare for the latter stages of the competition.

The learning process begins immediately on entry via the competition's dedicated website www.runningthegauntlet.com. This gives free access (normally £299) to 'The Gauntlet' virtual investor tool developed by Library House and the London School of Economics which guides entrants through questions typically asked by investors. A report highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the business proposition is subsequently returned.

In the last few days BBC East has joined the line up of advisers offering support to entrants. The broadcaster is offering ten entrants a specially designed media awareness training package as part of the competition's free education programme. This will take the form of a half-day course specifically designed to help entrepreneurs understand the modern media and how it works. The training, which also includes the chance to watch a live news programme being broadcast, is a superb opportunity that ambitious 'gauntleteers' will not want to miss.

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