Your weekly summary of entrepreneurship news, comment, and features. Sent by the Centre for Entrepreneurs (home of StartUp Britain). Sign up here. Read the original newsletter here.
The Maserati 100: Nominate someone today
Maserati and the Centre for Entrepreneurs have launched the second annual Maserati 100 index – a search to find 100 of Britain’s most successful philanthropists, investors, mentors and advisors, and ascending entrepreneurs who are supporting the next generation of founders.
“If you’re an entrepreneur who has benefited from the wisdom and encouragement of someone during your journey, I’d strongly encourage you to nominate them“. Oli Barrett, current Maserati 100 awardee.
Nominate someone today. Deadline Sunday 13th December.
News
Boost in UK SME productivity could raise billions
Economia: A focus on exports and innovation among small businesses could raise an additional £1.5bn for the UK economy within the first year, research from Goldman Sachs, the British Business Bank and the Enterprise Research Centre has found. Read more.
Barclays: It’s a great time to start a business in the UK
CityAM: Barclays’ latest Entrepreneurs Index shows the highest start-up survival rate since the index began in 2012, while the number of active companies in the UK increased to 3,260,879. Read more. Read the report.
Oxford University launches new accelerator to take on Cambridge spin-out culture
Telegraph: Oxford Accelerator wants to help launch 25 new companies a year in a bid to “play catch-up” with fellow top-tier university Cambridge, which has become famous for its ability to commercialise research and spin it out into successful start-ups. Read more.
Related: Is Britain failing young entrepreneurs? 1/4 of students will run a small venture at university but only 10% set up on their own when they graduate (Daily Mail)
UK entrepreneurs call for world’s first sharing economy tax break
Telegraph: Chief executives of digital start-ups want to see the government introduce the world’s first tax relief for sharing economy micro-entrepreneurs in this week’s Autumn Statement. Read more.
Related: What to expect in the Autumn Statement and Comprehensive Spending Review (Economia)
Business leaders braced for freelance staffing clampdown ‘catastrophe’ – with workers forced onto payroll
Daily Mail: Business leaders fear George Osborne will clamp down on the use of freelance staff and fail to tackle reform of the rates system in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement. Read more.
Related: 84% of small firms now dependent on flexible workers (Startups)
Related: Ditching traditional employment for portfolio careers is making people happier (CityAM)
Opinion
In defence of the ‘C’ word: Why capitalism is a force for good
As research shows falling public support for free enterprise, business secretary Sajid Javid says ‘capitalist’ should be a badge of honour. Read the speech. Watch the speech.
Why its never been easier to start a business in the UK
In light of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Central Working’s James Layfield reflects on the UK as a “hospitable environment for the modern entrepreneur”. Read more.
Why should Labour care about being seen as anti-business?
While we should never take an uncritical view of business, nor can we ever think support for business is an optional extra, writes Labour MP Ian Murray. Read more.
Without women, Britain will never truly be entrepreneurial
On Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, Emma Sinclair (co-founder, Enterprise Jungle and youngest women to float a company on the London Stock Exchange) reflects on Britain’s successes supporting women entrepreneurs. Read more.
Scrutiny likely to reveal there are a number of donkeys in unicorn’s clothing in tech market
Richard Windsor of Edison Investment Research explains why so-called unicorns that can’t make money are in fact donkeys with little value. Read more.
Overcoming our trust issues
Ryan O’Hare (product manager, Just Eat) considers the importance and problem of online reviews. Read more.
We need your help to fix Britain
Join a vital debate about the rules and regulations that matter most to entrepreneurs and business owners in this country, writes Allister Heath (Telegraph). Read more.
Features
The 10 best books for entrepreneurs
Robert Kelsey (deputy chair, Centre for Entrepreneurs, founder and CEO of Moorgate Communications and author) picks his top 10 entrepreneurial reads. Read more.
Originally published in the Sunday Times supplement The Start-up List 2015.
Adam Neumann: The WeWork boss creating the future of the office
Evening Standard: London is key as a self-styled ‘visionary’ offers desks to the ‘we generation’. Read more.