Islands Entrepreneurial Network RGU

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Islands Entrepreneurial Network RGU Part of the TalEntEd programme, funded by the Islands Growth Deal. For more information, visit www.rgu.ac.uk.

An initiative led by RGU designed to energise local economies and empower communities to launch and grow successful enterprises across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. The TalEntEd Islands Programme accelerates net zero solutions, addresses demographic challenges, and drives inclusive innovation across Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides. Supported by the Islands Growth Deal—with funding from both the Scottish Government and UK Government— TalEntEd unites three leading universities: Heriot-Watt University, the University of the Highlands and Islands, and Robert Gordon University. Together, they deliver tailored work-based learning, entrepreneurship pathways, and innovation-commercialisation grants to spark sustainable economic growth. By combining each institution’s strengths, TalEntEd ensures island communities have the skills, knowledge, and technology to thrive for generations to come. Robert Gordon University (RGU) leads the Islands Entrepreneurship Network within the TalEntEd programme. Driven by its commitment to economic, social and cultural development, RGU’s expertise in entrepreneurship enables start-ups, SMEs, and community-led enterprises to flourish. Drawing on hands-on learning, innovation, and business engagement, RGU delivers tailored programmes that foster entrepreneurial mindsets across the islands to boost growth, investment and jobs. These include accelerator schemes, mentorship programmes, community networks, and pathways for under-represented groups. This project is supported by funding from the UK Government and the Scottish Government through the Islands Growth Deal.

Your brand is more than your logo. It’s how your business looks, feels and shows up - whether that’s online, at a market...
16/09/2026

Your brand is more than your logo.

It’s how your business looks, feels and shows up - whether that’s online, at a market, In the high street, in a shop or even from your own front door.

Join us on 7 October, 12–1pm for our online Visual Merchandising for Retail Masterclass with brand specialist Amy Macleod.

Amy will share practical ways to help you:

✨ create a stronger visual identity
✨ present your products with more impact
✨ build a memorable brand experience
✨ make your shop, stall or online presence work harder for you

You don’t need a huge budget or a city-centre shop to create a brand people remember. You just need to be intentional about the story you’re telling.

📅 7 October
🕛 12–1pm
💻 Online

Sign up today! https://online.ien.scot/public/events/a3c147ca-a544-11f1-bdd0-0675cf5bbbb5

Shetland members - fancy lunch and a chance to connect with other local entrepreneurs?Join us on 2 October, 12:00–14:00,...
07/09/2026

Shetland members - fancy lunch and a chance to connect with other local entrepreneurs?

Join us on 2 October, 12:00–14:00, for an informal networking lunch with the Islands Entrepreneurial Network and Business Gateway

This session is ideal if you’re:
👋 Curious about IEN or Business Gateway and want to learn more
💡 Considering signing up for one of our courses and learning more about Business
Gateways offerings
💻 Currently taking part in an IEN programme
🎓 An IEN course graduate looking to reconnect and grow your network

It’s a chance to meet other local entrepreneurs, make new connections and find out more about what’s happening across Shetlands entrepreneurial community.
Sign up here! https://bit.ly/4gwgHzf

🚨Last chance to apply to our Creative Entrepreneurship course tomorrow! 🚨Are you someone with a creative skill that is e...
06/09/2026

🚨Last chance to apply to our Creative Entrepreneurship course tomorrow! 🚨

Are you someone with a creative skill that is either currently selling your product, or wondering if there is a way you can create money from your creativity?

Then this course is for you!

💙7 weeks fully funded course
💙Create the space you need to focus on building your business idea
💙Fully online
💙Hear and learn from our incredible guest speakers

Learn more and sign up through this link:

Calling all creative people who are either wanting to turn their creativity into income, or are already doing so and wan...
06/09/2026

Calling all creative people who are either wanting to turn their creativity into income, or are already doing so and want to take their business to the next level

📢 There's still time to apply to our seven week Creative Entrepreneurship course!!

Applications for our seven week Creative Entrepreneurship course closes tomorrow at midday!

It only takes 5 minutes to fill in our application form - you can do this!

Follow this link to fill in the form https://tinyurl.com/y4erabvm

📢 There's still time to apply!!It will only take you 5 mins this weekend to put your application in for the Creative Ent...
04/09/2026

📢 There's still time to apply!!

It will only take you 5 mins this weekend to put your application in for the Creative Entrepreneurship course which starts on 24th September.

💜 Fully online
💜 Fully financially supported
💜 Fully designed with creative people in mind

Find out more and apply through this link: https://tinyurl.com/y4erabvm

“I’d love to apply… but I don’t actually have a business yet.”Good news: **you don’t need one.**Our Creative Entrepreneu...
02/09/2026

“I’d love to apply… but I don’t actually have a business yet.”

Good news: **you don’t need one.**

Our Creative Entrepreneurship course isn’t only for people who are already selling their work.

You might have an idea you’ve been thinking about for months and don't know where to begin.

You might have started experimenting with something but have no idea whether it could become a business.

Or you might already be selling your creative work and want to explore where you could take it next.

All of those are perfectly good starting points to build on throughout this course.

Over seven weeks, you’ll have the space and support to explore your idea, understand your customers, think about your business model and start working out what your next steps could be.

💻 Fully online
📅 Seven weeks
💷 Fully funded

You don’t need a finished business plan. You just need something you’d like to explore.

👉 Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/y4erabvm

The deadline has been set! Applications for our seven week creative entrepreneurship course will close on 7th September ...
31/08/2026

The deadline has been set! Applications for our seven week creative entrepreneurship course will close on 7th September at midday!

It will only take you 5 minutes to fill in the application form, and you could secure a place on our fully funded course designed to help creative individuals take their next step on their entrepreneurial journey.

Ready? Follow this link and apply https://tinyurl.com/y4erabvm

30/08/2026

View details and apply for this enterprise manager role in with RGU on myjobscotland

“But I’m not an entrepreneur…”Maybe not. At least, you might not think of yourself as one yet.You might think of yoursel...
29/08/2026

“But I’m not an entrepreneur…”

Maybe not. At least, you might not think of yourself as one yet.

You might think of yourself as a photographer. A maker. An artist. A musician. A designer. Someone who sews, paints, works with wood, makes jewellery - or simply someone who loves creating things.

And that’s absolutely fine.

You don’t need to suddenly start calling yourself an entrepreneur to explore whether your creative skills could generate an income.

That’s what our Creative Entrepreneurship programme is here to help you do.

Over seven weeks, you’ll explore your idea, your customers and your business model, while developing the knowledge and confidence to decide what you want to do next.

💻 Fully online
📅 Seven weeks
💷 Fully funded

You already know how to create. Let us help you weave entrepreneurial skills into what you make.

👉 Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/y4erabvm

What could seven weeks give you? 👀Maybe you've got an idea scribbled in a notebook.Maybe you've already started selling ...
27/08/2026

What could seven weeks give you? 👀

Maybe you've got an idea scribbled in a notebook.

Maybe you've already started selling something you've created, but you're not quite sure what comes next.

Or perhaps you've been thinking “I'd love to do something with this…” for ages.

Our Creative Entrepreneurship programme gives you the time, tools and support to start figuring it out.

Over seven weeks, we'll help you take that creative idea and start putting some foundations underneath it - understanding your customers, getting to grips with marketing, building your confidence and beginning to shape a plan for your business.

And you won't be doing it alone. You'll be learning alongside other creative people figuring out their next steps too. 🩵

💻 Fully online
📅 Seven weeks
💷 Fully funded

You don't need to arrive with all the answers - you'll have them at the end of the course.

👉 Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/y4erabvm

Address

Kenneth Street
Stornoway
HS1 2DS

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