Dacorum's Den returns offering startup businesses a chance to win a £1,000 grant

Dacorum's Den is returning offering startup businesses a chance to win a grant of £1,000 to kick start their ventures.

Business owners and founders will once again get a chance to pitch their best project ideas to Dacorum Borough Council's panel of dragons.

Borrowing from the longstanding BBC show, the council has now ran its own version of the reality programme for the past nine years.

Since its inception Dacorum's non-televised business scheme has handed out £55,000 to organisations.

Dacorum Borough Council wants to hear from individuals or businesses who have:

-less than 20 employees and under £1m turnover

-have a great business idea

-are keen to expand their business in Dacorum

-require funds to adapt their business to better survive the post Covid environment.

Applications are open now, businesses have until Monday 6 June to register.

This year Dacorum's answer to Peter Jones is Hemel Hempstead MP Sir Mike Penning who will lead a panel of judges.

Sir Mike Penning, said: “I support this scheme entirely, it is not only supportive of the local economy, but it sees larger corporations enabling the growth of small businesses.

"Dacorum Borough Council provides such a great service to the businesses within our borough and this is just one of the initiatives they orchestrate.”

The event is sponsored this year by Sopra Steria, Britvic, Abode Bed, The Marlowes Shopping Centre, Hemel Hempstead BID, Heart Hertfordshire, Epson, Barnard & Webb Solicitors and Maylands Business Centre.

More information is available on the borough council website here, any queries can be sent via email to [email protected].