Start-ups get finance, mentoring

A seminar by a relatively unknown but established Chinese organization offering small free-interest loans and mentorship to wannabe business people was held at Renmin University last Friday.

Ambitious entrepreneurs learned from Andrew Fiddaman, executive director of Youth Business International (YBI) - a UK-based international organization initiated by Prince Charles - that the company has helped nearly 100,000 young entrepreneurs across the world make their business dreams come true.

The aim of the seminar was to highlight YBI's partner in China, Youth Business China (YBC), and its success of having already helped 900 youths by providing them with start-up capitals from 30,000 to 50,000 yuan and free mentors since late 2003.