There is just one week left for new Kent businesses to put their names in the hat for a prize which could kick start a profitable year.

More than 1,100 businesses have already entered the Local Business Accelerators, which will give deserving companies free advertising in their local newspaper and mentoring from business experts.

The KM Group is among hundreds of regional papers offering free advertising to local winners. But potential entrants must hurry, as the closing date is Friday, November 16.

BT is the latest organisation to throw its weight behind the national campaign, offering free business broadband and wifi access for a year, as part of the prize for the overall winner.

One business will be crowned the overall LBA winner in 2013, scooping the grand prize of mentoring from Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden, the campaign’s national ambassador, plus another free ad campaign in their local paper, and a host of other prizes.

The three Kent winners will be chosen from a shortlist of 12 firms that will be announced later this month.

Minister for Business and Enterprise, Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon, has written to all regional newspaper editors explaining his endorsement for LBA.

The letter says: “You are in a unique position and have the ability to reach the 4.8 million small and medium sized firms in the UK, their employees and their customers who support your local economy – the people who read local newspapers every week.”

Businesses between one and five years old can enter LBA at www.accelerateme.co.uk.

The overall winning package:

• Mentoring from the campaign's national ambassador Deborah Meaden of Dragon's Den
• A free ad campaign in their local paper designed by a top London ad agency
• A £10,000 cash sum from the Business Growth Fund
• One year's free membership of the CBI
• Free business advice from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales valued at £2,000
• An iPad from Freeagent who are also offering a year’s free access to its accountancy software to each of the national finalists, valued at £300 per finalist
• Free business broadband and wifi access for a year from BT for the overall winner, including wireless router and free installation, and the design and management of a website with ecommerce if required.