The head of the new Angus Centre for Enterprise says the downturn is the perfect time for new business ventures.
Kay Gilmour, director of marketing and business growth at ACE, said there are ”boundless” opportunities for entrepreneurs despite the wider uncertainties in the economy.
ACE was launched in September after Angus College found a signifciant number of its students were opting to advance their own business ideas after finding jobs increasingly hard to come by.
However, the centre has found itself playing a wider community role and clients include a significiant proportion of businesses with no previous ties to the college.
Ms Gilmour said: ”There is a business idea in everybody but what we want to do is offer ways for those ideas to flourish and begin to become a reality.
”There has never been a better time as there are such limited opportunities for people out there.
”It has been proven time and time again that in an economic recession there are still boundless opportunities out there you just need to look for them.”
Ms Gilmour said ACE’s role is to give start-ups the confidence and skills to take their plans forward.
She said: ”With jobs being in such disarray we feel we have an obligation to try to support our students even when they have completed their studies.”