Entrepreneurs are an asset to grow. The government must give them time to thrive September 14, 2020 “Energy is eternal delight.” Heed the words of William Blake, because entrepreneurial energy is the dynamo that has powered the UK economy and transformed the business scene in recent times. The worry has to be that this is not a year that suggests this energy is eternal, and the mistake is to assume the resilience [...]
London’s startup scene is under threat – here’s how we can safeguard our entrepreneurs September 10, 2020 Following one of the biggest economic upheavals in living memory, London is now resetting itself. But our capital’s startups have taken a bruising in the last few months and their recovery requires urgent action. The impact has not been uniform, as some investment is still flowing. But investors have been backing portfolio companies, or in [...]
Future Fund bailout scheme for startups extended to firms moved abroad June 30, 2020 Britain is to expand a coronavirus bail-out scheme for startups to include those that had previously been blocked after moving overseas to tap foreign investors. In a roll-out to be announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak today, the government will have stakes in dozens of UK startups through its Future Fund scheme. The programme, initially announced [...]
Startups’ coronavirus Future Fund is a ‘bad deal’ for founders May 4, 2020 The government’s flagship support scheme for startups hit by coronavirus, the Future Fund, has been described as “simply not good enough” and “a bad deal” by one of the UK’s leading tech entrepreneurs. Priya Lakhani, founder and CEO of education technology company Century, said the terms under which money could be accessed through the scheme are [...]
The City View podcast, from CityAM, with Priya Lakhani OBE May 4, 2020 In this episode, Christian is joined by Priya Lakhani, founder and CEO of Century – an AI-powered education platform. Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Priya, who served as a business adviser to the coalition government, gives a candid and forthright assessment of the government’s support packages for businesses. [...]
Let’s work together to make work experience more rewarding March 31, 2020 Any student who’s ever spent a week getting coffee, photocopying, or doing research that is immediately thrown into the recycling knows that our current work experience system doesn’t work. It’s elitist, nepotistic, and formal work experience programmes tend to only be offered in very “establishment” industries: law, banking, consulting. And yet it’s still a vital [...]
If cities like London and Cardiff collaborate, the whole UK will prosper March 9, 2020 Last week, digital bank Starling announced the creation of 400 new jobs in Cardiff. To anyone familiar with the thriving city, it should come as no surprise. The Welsh capital has cultivated an innovative digital and tech centre with particular specialities around life sciences and software technology, as well as fast-growing adjacent industries such as [...]
EIS investing: A leap into the unknown February 26, 2020 For the uninitiated, investing can often feel like an alphabet soup of different acronyms. But knowing what they all mean can open up a whole new world of options for how to put your money to work. As investors prepare for a number of government changes to how they can invest in startups, CityAM [...]
The importance of being positive: How to build a resilient business mindset February 21, 2020 From my experience, entrepreneurs are an optimistic bunch by nature. They see opportunity; they grasp it. Yet the not-so-simple journey from startup to growth requires relentless hard work and unshakable commitment. Of course, there will be high fives and heady moments of rapture in the bar. But the reality is that before we get to [...]
12 steps to turn your brilliant idea into a business January 27, 2020 Most of us have probably had a great business idea at some point in our lives. A lightbulb moment in the pub, a problem solved in the shower or brief thought whilst waiting for the bus. But so rarely do these ideas ever progress beyond a fleeting thought. And setting up a business can be daunting, [...]