Letters to the editor – 02/08 – Startup growth, Best of Twitter
Startup growth
[Re: Britain is falling badly behind in the entrepreneurship stakes, Tuesday]
For the past seven years, I have run Enterprise Nation, and for the past two I have managed the national enterprise campaign, StartUp Britain. The StartUp Britain Tracker – which tracks the number of companies started each day and month – shows that, as of yesterday, an impressive 304,549 companies have been formed so far this year. This suggests that, when it comes to encouraging startups, we are on the right track. The government is doing a great deal to ensure the UK remains ahead in the entrepreneurship stakes: by giving capital to alternative sources of, finance (like crowdfunding sites), and by encouraging higher levels of angel investment through the Seed Enterprise Initiative Scheme, to name but two. Growth vouchers will also be available from early-2014, to help businesses raise money and make the most of digital technologies. Large companies are playing an important role – we are seeing new accelerators identify companies with high growth potential and help them realise that goal. I have seen growth and greater confidence in the small business sector. I believe the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well.
Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation and a co-founder of StartUp Britain
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