TWO East Anglian firms have pledged their support to a contest aimed at encouraging start-up businesses.

Law firm Birketts LLP and Ensors Chartered Accountants have signed up to the Hopkins Homes Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition.

James Hopkins of Hopkins Homes will donate £150 of seed funding to 10 start-up companies from University Campus Suffolk.

Each company then pledges to make the most money via its entrepreneurial activity and donate the first £1000 of its profits to Ipswich-based charity Lighthouse Women’s Aid.

Marketing professional Emma Pratt has also offered her support and will be providing the student companies with advice and mentoring in the form of marketing and business development workshops.

Birketts and Ensors are the latest businesses to get involved in the initiative and have agreed to bring expert legal and financial advice to the start- ups.

Birketts partner Mark Gipson said: “We are very excited about becoming involved with this project and cannot wait to see what kind of business ideas the students come up with.”

Would-be sponsors or competitors wanting more information on the contest should contact Jo Cresdee at Lighthouse Women’s Aid (jo@lighthousewa.org.uk).