The Enterprise Island scheme moves from city to city, and offers entrepreneurs of all ages and backgrounds that chance to gain vital advice on how best to set up a business.

They then selected the best ideas and worked with established local business experts, as well as their own team of advisors, to give them the best possible advice to help them get their new ventures off the ground.

The finalists were selected from hundreds of entrants who had to give an oral submission of their proposals for their own business ideas to the panel during Autumn last year.

Initially the organisers had planned to whittle the entrants down to the best ten, but were so impressed with the standard that they eventually decided on 14.

The finalists are now taking part a series of seminars on how best to pursue their business ideas.

Advice will be given on every facet of setting up a business, from how to raise the initial capital to get the venture off the ground, to finding the right staff.

Iain Scott, head of the Enterprise Island organisation, said: "Bradford has a huge enterprising tradition.

"Our initial appeal was for people in Bradford who have always wanted to start a business but have never done it.

"We eventually came up with 14 people who we thought had the best ideas.

"We worked with local business success story Andrew Mason, who spoke to the islanders about what is involved in the setting up of a business.

"The islanders just have one more masterclass to go before we send them out into the world to begin to get their businesses off and running.

"We have done this before in Newcastle and Tynedale in Scotland and had great results. But it has to be said Bradford has been outstanding and the way things are going I would not be surprised if it became the next enterprising capital

of Britain."

Andrew Mason is the managing director of Newmason Properties in Shipley which is creating the Victoria Mills regeneration project in the town.

He said he talked to the islanders about their ideas and how they could be taken forward.

He explained where he gets his motivation from and talked about his experiences - good and bad - because, he said, "a lot of business is about sharing ideas and learning".

"Hopefully all the islanders will succeed, some will and some won't, but this is not a bad thing as nearly all of the world's most successful business people failed in their first couple of attempts.

"What is important though is sticking with it and failing doesn't mean you can give it another go - leaning from your mistakes is invaluable."

The project was run under the auspices of Bradford Council, which help carry out some of the administration work.

Executive member for regeneration, Councillor Simon Cooke, said: "The Enterprise Island Challenge has been really successful and it is not only the 14 finalists who have benefited because a lot of the contestants who auditioned have been encouraged to continue with their ideas.

"However, the 14 finalists will now receive a first-class, hands-on master class from Andrew Mason and will be invaluable for them as they make their way in the business world."