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Midlands start-up scene revealed at Conference

  • Proportion of UK adults involved in start-ups half that of US
  • Researchers working to close the entrepreneurial gap with the US
  • Entrepreneurial mindsets within an organisation can influence success
  • Panel of experts and entrepreneurs will examine the effect of Brexit

Stephen Roper, Professor of Enterprise, will reveal the latest data on the Midlands start-up scene at the Enterprise at Warwick Conference 2016.

The conference, in conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship week, will be hosted by Warwick Business School and sponsored by UBS and will see a host of academics and entrepreneurs talk on topics ranging from how to create an innovation culture, the importance of an enterprise education to how Brexit will affect the start-up environment.

Professor Roper, who is Director of the Enterprise Research Centre tasked with researching what drives SME growth with more than £5 million of funding, is one of three keynote speakers at the conference on Wednesday.

He will reveal the latest statistics on entrepreneurship across the Midlands and compare UK start-ups with Germany and the US.

“The level of engagement in start-ups is roughly the same in the UK as it is in Germany, but about half the level of the US,” said Professor Roper.

“In the UK six to seven per cent of the adult population is engaged in running or supporting start-ups, whereas in the US it is roughly 12 per cent.

“Just why that gap exists is something researchers have been trying to answer for some time and there could be many factors at play.

“But it is important that the UK does start to close it as entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of a growing economy. It affects the speed of renewal, as broadly speaking about half of start-ups fail over the first three years.”

Nicos Nicolaou, Professor and Head of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Group, will talk on creating an innovation culture and look at the importance of an entrepreneurship education.

“Entrepreneurial mindsets within an organisation can influence the success and innovation of any business, large or small,” said Professor Nicolaou.

“So it is worth considering the impact of integrating enterprise into the higher education curriculum and what that means for talent pipelines for companies.

“In the US, since 1980 95 per cent of the wealth created can be attributed to entrepreneurial new ventures. Entrepreneurship is about instigating change - generating radical innovations and reducing dependence on obsolete technologies and improving the quality of life.”

Professor Nicolaou will also host a panel discussing the issues for start-ups in the UK and the Midlands after Brexit, which will include Jamie Broderick, CEO of UBS Wealth Management, and John Lyon, Professor of Practice in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation group, entrepreneur and venture capitalist.

Entrepreneurs Angela Fitzpatrick, Co-founder of eco-friendly tuna firm Reel Fish Co, and Sophia Nadur, CEO and Co-founder of sustainable and healthy brand Tg Green Teas will also feature at the conference along with James Hayton, Dean of Rutgers School of Management in the US, who will talk on building a workforce for entrepreneurs.

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“The conference will be for budding entrepreneurs and those experienced in enterprise,” said Professor Nicolaou. “We will look at how to create an innovation culture, how an entrepreneurial mindset can help any organisation; the impact of entrepreneurship education; how to support start-ups in the Midlands, and gaining best practice tips from start-up founders and experienced entrepreneurs.”

Find out more about the conference here.

Click here to book a place at the Conference.

If you can't make it follow the Conference on our live blog on this website.

Enterprise at Warwick Conference 2016 timetable:

14:30-15:00 Registration and coffee

15:00 -15:15 Nicos Nicolaou, Professor and Head of Entrepreneurship & Innovation Group, WBS
The importance of Enterprise in Education: Introducing the Executive MBA with Entrepreneurship Specialism

Phillip Wood, Regional Head Midlands, UBS

15:15 - 16:15 Warwick Enterprise Support
Short introductory presentations from each of the enterprise support resources available across Warwick. Followed by
interactive Q&A.

16:30 - 17:15 UBS Student Skills Session
UBS recruitment team to run a business foccussed skills session for all MSc and Undergraduate students
on a first come first served basis.

17:15 - 18:00 Networking and Start Up fair

18:00 - 18:15 Welcome to Evening Session

Professor John Lyon, Associate Dean (Corporate Relations) & Professor of Practice (Entrepreneurship), WBS. Welcome & The importance of Enterprise in Education and Industry & Introducing the Executive MBA with Entrepreneurship Specialism

Jamie Broderick, CEO, UBS Wealth Management, UBS
Introduction to UBS

18:15 - 19:30 Keynote speeches
18.15 Profesor Stephen Roper, Professor of Enterprise, WBS and Director of the ERC
How The Enterprise Research Centre's work is supporting the Midlands local growth agenda.

18:40 Professor James Hayton, Dean, Rutgers School of Management, US
Building a workforce of entrepreneurs

19:05 Angela Fitzpatrick, Co-founder, The Reel Fish Co.
Size doesn't matter..it's what you do with it that counts 

19:30 - 20:30 Panel interactive Question time - Chaired by Professor Nicos Nicolaou

Andrew Bacon OBE, CEO, Enactus UK
Jamie Broderick, CEO, UBS Wealth Management, UBS
Angela Fitzpatrick, Co-founder, The Reel Fish Co.
James Hayton, Dean Rutgers School of Management, US
John Lyon, Professor of Practice, WBS and Entrepreneur
Sophia Nadur, CEO & Co-founder, Tg Green Teas
Stephen Roper, Professor of Entreprenuership, WBS

20:30 - 21:30 Networking, Drinks and Start up fair

Contact:

Ashley Potter -Press & PR Executive,
Warwick Business School

Tel: +44 (0)24 7657 3967
Mob: +44 (0)7733 013264


Email: Ashley dot potter at wbs dot ac dot uk