Welcome to the Make Your Mark’s Enterprise Insights where only the most interesting enterprise developments and stories are delivered to you fortnightly.
Supporting businesses and growth
Real Help Now (HM Government: pdf – 263KB)
The Government’s Real Help Now programme of support for businesses, featured in the last instalment of Enterprise Insights, has been joined together with a programme of support for individuals – offering help and advice through the recession. A useful new website has been launched that showcases the work the Government is doing regionally, nationally and internationally to support the economy.
Creating enterprising places
The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) has called on Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for DEFRA, to stem the rise in rural unemployment and to increase resources available for local retraining. The report suggests that whilst there are a number of support schemes to help small businesses and to encourage new start-ups, these are unlikely to boost employment in rural areas in the short term.
The Quarterly Survey of Small Business in Britain (OUBS)
Small businesses in all sectors, regions and of every size are now, on balance, expecting their sales to fall in the current quarter, according to the Open University Business School survey of small businesses. However, the survey, which has been running for a quarter of a century, shows that around half of all small businesses have no loans – limiting vulnerability to any credit shortage.
Unlocking enterprise potential
Generations Forgotten (PRIME: pdf – 282KB)
17% of 50 – 64 year olds have considered setting up a new business, according to research carried out by the Prince’s Initiative for Mature Entrepreneurship. The report also argued that misconceptions about entrepreneurship abound – with 66% of the population believing the average age of an entrepreneur to be between 20 - 34, despite the actual average being 35 – 49.
In the media
Lord Mandelson has announced the launch of the annual Enterprising Britain competition, run by Make Your Mark, proclaiming that, ‘Enterprising Britain allows communities to share their experiences of innovation, inspire others and drive forward enterprise’.
The European Union has launched a new version of its popular Erasmus scheme – this time aimed at entrepreneurs. The scheme offers the chance for new entrepreneurs to spend time learning from an experienced entrepreneur in another country.
Climate-change-tackling father and son duo Dr Tom Ma and Jonathan Ma have won the annual Shell Springboard competition, which rewards the best and most innovative green ideas by small businesses, for a mechanism that uses the energy created from braking a car to power a down-sized engine.
BERR has launched a new YouTube channel called ‘Berrtube’, featuring videos of its work. The department has also responded to the Anderson Review, looking into SME guidance, pledging to start a new free advice line for SMEs and to offer shortened versions of lengthy guidance documents.
Nearly one in ten would-be entrepreneurs wants to start a tea-shop - the second most popular choice in a survey conducted by YouGov. Almost of quarter (23%) of adults said that they wanted to start a new business.
Comment
Leaders of the entrepreneurial world – Jonathan discusses Obama and Brown’s mutual support for entrepreneurship
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