OUR MISSION

We bring people together to make entrepreneurship possible.

Starting a business alone can be isolating. Without like-minded people to share ideas with or ask for help, confidence can slip, and momentum can stall. Welsh ICE exists to change that.

We create supportive, inclusive spaces where people can explore enterprise, build confidence, and turn ideas into income, especially for those who’ve felt that traditional routes weren’t built for them.

Entrepreneurship isn’t always about chasing rapid growth. Often, it’s about creating stability, choice, and long-term financial resilience. When people are supported properly, they don’t just start businesses; they create ripple effects that strengthen families, communities, and local economies.

Founded in 2012, Welsh ICE has supported over 1,000 businesses and continues to build resilient entrepreneurial communities across Wales.

Our Vision

Resilient Entrepreneurial Communities

Our vision is a Wales where entrepreneurship feels visible, achievable, and inclusive, not reserved for the confident or well-connected few. Where people are supported to grow sustainable businesses, communities are strengthened from within, and the next generation grows up surrounded by real local role models.

Welsh ICE is more than a space or a programme. It’s infrastructure for people and places, supporting ideas at every stage, from first spark to long-term ambition.

Welsh ICE is more than a social enterprise; it’s a catalyst for change. We support people, particularly those from marginalised communities, to start and grow businesses, and to become drivers of positive transformation in their local economies and beyond.

By bringing people together, we create the conditions for innovation to thrive, challenges to be shared, and milestones to be celebrated. Our community helps turn ideas into sustainable ventures that strengthen families, neighbourhoods, and local economies.

The impact goes beyond individual businesses. When people are backed properly, the ripple effects are long-lasting, building confidence, opportunity, and resilience in the places they’re rooted in.

who are we?

Welsh ICE is a hub for startups, freelancers, remote workers, creatives, and established businesses, and everything in between.

Many of our members begin working from home or in isolation. Over time, that lack of connection can make even the best ideas harder to sustain. At Welsh ICE, members find a warm, flexible, and welcoming environment where different ways of working are respected, and collaboration happens naturally.

For many, the community becomes the extended team they didn’t know they needed.

Who We Support

🎨 Creatives – Designers, makers, artists, writers, filmmakers and digital creators building sustainable careers and creative businesses.

🧠 Neurodivergent founders – Flexible spaces, inclusive programmes and a community that values different ways of thinking and working.

💼 People exploring self-employment – Supporting new income streams, confidence and transferable skills, step by step.

🌍 People furthest from opportunity – Place-based, trust-led support that meets people where they are, not where systems expect them to be.

What We Offer

Affordable, flexible coworking rooted in local communities
Meeting rooms and event spaces for collaboration and growth
Training programmes, workshops and learning through ICE Academy
Peer networks, mentoring and shared expertise
An active online community for connection and support
Regular business support fairs across Caerphilly and Newport

Whether you’re testing an idea, growing a business, or exploring self-employment alongside work, caring or study, Welsh ICE offers practical, human support at every stage.

Who We Work With

Corporates and private investors
Government and public sector organisations
Funders and investors
Universities, colleges and ecosystem partners

We collaborate to deliver place-based, evidence-led support that strengthens local economies and creates joined-up pathways rather than fragmented systems.

Our Impact

When people are supported early, the outcomes are deeper, fairer and more sustainable.

77% of Welsh ICE-supported businesses survive beyond their first three years
Thousands of people supported with skills, space, confidence and networks
Stronger local supply chains and community wealth
Visible, diverse role models for the next generation

Entrepreneurship, when designed with care, becomes prevention as much as progression. Welsh ICE isn’t just supporting businesses, we’re building the foundations for a stronger future, economically, socially and environmentally.

Our Values

Community

We make a positive impact in the communities where we operate and tackle isolation among entrepreneurs to support the longevity of businesses.

Collaboration

We believe better things happen when people work together, share ideas, and support one another.

Excellence

We are committed to delivering exceptional quality and value in our courses, services, and operations.

Empowerment

We empower staff, members, and communities to take initiative, embrace challenges, and reach their full potential.

Diversity & Inclusion

We celebrate diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences – creating a richer, more innovative community.

Sustainability

We are committed to environmental, social, and economic responsibility in how we operate.

Fun!

Because life is too short. A positive environment matters for the wellbeing of our staff and entrepreneurial community.