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.
News
Exporting is GREAT programme launches
gov.uk: The government has launched a five year programme presenting real-time export opportunities that businesses can apply for online. This is part of a move to get 100,000 additional companies exporting by 2020. Read more. Visit Exporting is GREAT website.
30,000 increase in number of UK self-employed
Startups: The number of self-employed people in the UK has risen by 30,000 after a seven month decline, according to the Office for National Statistics. It means 4.55m Brits are now their own boss, representing 14% of the UK workforce. Read more.
Related: The UK’s freelancing hot-spots map (Telegraph)
Tech City UK launches Upscale programme for high-growth tech start-ups
Elite Business: In a bid to turn the UK’s fastest growing start-ups into scale-ups, the new scheme will give companies invaluable access to entrepreneurs including Doug Monro and Sarah Wood. Read more.
Related: Barclays commits funding and support to UK scale-ups
Britain’s small businesses unfazed by threat of Brexit
Telegraph: It’s ‘business as usual’ for the nation’s small firms, whether Britain is in or out of the EU, according to polling by YouGov for easyJet and the Telegraph Festival of Business. Read more.
Opinion
The Apprentice is a parody of real business – and the candidates are sociopaths in M&S suits
As the latest series of The Apprentice reaches its half-way point, entrepreneur and chief executive of Simply Business, Jason Stockwell, says there is nothing in the show which reflects how a real business is run. Read more.
For capitalism to thrive, we must break our debt addiction
Our punishing tax regime means too many small businesses are funded through lending, rather than investment for return, writes Xavier Rolet (CEO, London Stock Exchange). Read more.
Imitators take note – Steve Jobs was more than a showman (FT)
Habits adopted during a company’s early years influence performance, writes Michael Moritz (chairman, Sequoia Capital). Read more.
Towards a fairer sharing economy
There needs to be an honest and open dialogue about the trade-offs that the sharing economy presents for different interests and spheres, writes Brhmie Balaram, launching the RSA’s research programme ‘Towards a fairer sharing economy’. Read more.
If at first you don’t succeed … use ‘The Force’!
Author, entrepreneur and motivational speaker Shed Simove on why it’s good to get rejected, and his wish to get on the Y Combinator programme. Read more.
Features
Elon Musk’s secret sauce
A book-sized four part series looking at why and how Elon Musk is disrupting the industrial world on at least three fronts. Read more.
Microsoft’s Satya Nadella on how he learns from small businesses
Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella sat down with a group of entrepreneurs this week to share how he is still inspired by how small businesses make sales and grow. Read more.