Leading British Entrepreneurs Support Launch of New Online Business Support Network

***STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:01 WEDNESDAY 28TH JANUARY 2009***

WEDNESDAY 28TH JANUARY 2009: Some of the biggest names in British business – including Entrepreneurs and Dragons Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden – have come together to give their support for smarta.com – a new online business support network designed to help people of all ages to succeed in setting up or running their business.

The brainchild of successful entrepreneur Sháá Wasmund, the venture will offer practical advice on getting business ideas off the ground, free legal and financial advice, and allow people of all experiences and backgrounds to network with other business owners and entrepreneurs to share ideas, tips and knowledge.

The launch is backed by research released by Smarta.com which reveals that despite nearly 3 million Brits wanting to set up their own business, 86% never achieve their goal – a situation no doubt exacerbated by the current economic crisis. 98% of entrepreneurs surveyed said they would welcome a comprehensive business support resource online, which could guide businesses and entrepreneurs through the lifecycle of thinking about starting up a business, the process of creating their own business, and taking their business to the next level. Smarta predict that with the right support network in place, budding entrepreneurs and small businesses could inject an extra £5.4bn a year into the UK economy and meet the economic crisis head-on.

Smarta has been backed by British companies NatWest, RBS and Vodafone on board as Founding Partners as well as support from Mishcon de Reya and Business Environment, as well as support from the government, and hopes to have 200,000 users by the end of 2009. For more information please visit www.smarta.com