START-up firms will be given a helping hand after a project to help ­entrepreneurs ­secured £200,000 of new ­investment.

Entrepreneurial Spark is to expand by recruiting three new mentors who will be based at three business hubs it runs in Glasgow, Ayrshire and Edinburgh.

The jobs will be created after the Royal Bank of Scotland ­decided to back the project with funding.

Most of the cash will be used to pay the wages of new mentors, though some of the funding will help ­provide equipment for new businesses.

RBS chiefs had previously donated £375,000 since the business incubator and accelerator programme was launched in February, last year.

Bank chief executive Ross McEwan said: "The work we're doing with ESpark is indicative of our wider commitment to nurturing new enterprise.

"The hatcheries in Glasgow, Ayrshire and Edinburgh are giving early stage businesses a chance to flourish.

"Along with funding, we're supplying mentors and business advice to support the great work they are doing, and we're looking at what more we can do to support them."

The latest cash injection comes a week after Glasgow City Council also showed its support for ESpark by providing £100,000 to be used to meet the running costs of a business "hatchery" in the Gorbals.

The not-for-profit ­social enterprise is the first of its kind in Scotland. It's created hubs which offer budding ­entrepreneurs free accommodation, guidance and support to grow their business.

The iniative is backed by leading figures in the business world, including Sir Tom Hunter who set up the West Coat Hatchery in Dund­onald, South Ayrshire.

Former policeman and ESpark co-founder Jim Duffy said: "Espark was set-up to nurture the enthusiasm and ­talent of entrepreneurs and support them through the many challenges faced in the early stages of running a business.

"We are already seeing some really positive results in a relatively short space of time but for us to grow that success we need the continued support of Scotland's business community and politicians."

Since launching 18 months ago, ESpark has assisted more than 250 start-ups. It's claimed the fledging businesses have created more than 230 jobs.

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