Who is supporting Britain’s future entrepreneurs?

Wednesday, November 24, 2010 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Business advice, My big decision, Economy | Tags: entrepreneurs, entrepreneur, networks, Luke Johnson, My Big Decision, mentors, forums, startups, community, Pizza Express, groups, clubs, support

Here on Elevate blog, we write for and about those dynamic entrepreneurs and business leaders who have already ‘made it’ and are heading up successful companies, many in the corporate mid-market. But our next My Big Decision interviewee has got us thinking about how these CEOs started out and how a new wave of entrepreneur clubs and support networks is supporting British enterprise.

Shortly on the Elevate blog, we’ll be posting the latest in Grant Thornton’s series of My Big Decision video podcasts. In it, serial entrepreneur Luke Johnson looks back to the life-changing moment when he went from living on an overdraft to taking over Pizza Express, turning it from small restaurant chain to high street name worth £26 million in just six years.

Last month he, along with four others, co-founded the Institute of Entrepreneurs, to encourage others to do the same. The group is inviting experienced, successful entrepreneurs to assist the Institute in driving the entrepreneur’s agenda at national and government level.

If this is something you would like to support, then here’s how to get involved. They are also looking for experienced entrepreneurs to form an advisory board.

Meanwhile, here are a number of groups and clubs that are seeking to stimulate British enterprise and help create the entrepreneurs of tomorrow; a list that was kickstarted by Luke Johnson in his Financial Times column last month.

If you know of more, please do add them into the comments – particularly local or regional UK initiatives and incubator projects.

• Institute of Entrepreneurs
A new and dedicated focal point for UK entrepreneurs that aims to “promote and defend” individual entrepreneurship in Britain by challenging government, the financial sector and large corporations to “live up to their rhetoric and support entrepreneurs”. It is early days but seems to fill a campaigning gap. Visit: Institute of Entrepreneurs.

• Entrepreneur Country
Likeminded community and the chance to make connections are on offer via this UK-based network, set up by Julie Meyer of Ariadne Capital, a previous My Big Decision interviewee. Visit: Entrepreneur Country.

• Entrepreneurial Exchange
Forum for Scottish entrepreneurs – now with a sister group in London. Established in 1994, the Exchange has 430 members whose companies employ more than 290,000 people, collectively turning over more than £23 billion. Visit: Entrepreneurial Exchange.

• Venturelab
A seed funding programme for startups that also includes six months of mentoring and business support. Founded by Justin Whitston, former founder of vehicle rental company, Nexus Vehicle Management, which he took from startup at the age of 25 to multimillion exit to private equity in 2007. Visit: Venturelab.

• National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs
This is a national organisation that supports and represents university enterprise societies and student entrepreneurs. Formed in 2009, the consortium now boasts 70-plus societies across UK universities and 40,000 student members. Visit: NACUE.

• Young Presidents’ Organization
Founded 60 years ago, with more than 300 chapters around the world, including 42 in Europe, the YPA offers support and networking for its members, at regional, national and international level. Visit: YPO.

• Entrepreneurs’ Organization
This is a global network of 7,500-plus business owners in 38 countries, running since 1987. Membership is by invitation only; the average member is 40 with annual revenues of US$18.4 million. Visit: EO.

• Local/regional entrepreneur groups
There are also local and regional groups that support entrepreneurs, for example, Adventures in Business, which offers investment and mentoring, and tech incubator E4F Entrepreneurs for the future, both in Birmingham.

We’d love to hear more suggestions on these.

You might also find these posts useful:

* My Big Decision series – in which we ask our business leaders about their life-changing moments.

* Story of the deal: RDG’s £9.3 million sale to United Business Media – behind the scenes of a multi-million pound business disposal.

* Two CEOs, two diaries, two tough business challenges – a male and a female UK chief exec blog their summer diary.