Early-stage entrepreneurs and those intending to start their own company have embraced the challenges created by the pandemic and demonstrate that the entrepreneurial foundations of the UK are strong in terms of start-up rates. The challenge is to see what can increase the number of these businesses that grow, as discussed in Professor Mark Hart's recent blog.

The Entrepreneurial Behaviour and the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Collapse in Confidence or a Positive Response to Uncertainty? blog tracks entrepreneurial attitudes, intentions, activity, motivations, and ambitions before and during the COVID-19 crisis by analysing data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Annual Population Surveys of around 10,000 individuals each year.
 
Part of the UK Government's response to the crisis has been the introduction of business support such as the national Help to Grow: Management Course, launched at Aston Business School. Our next cohort of the course begins on the 27th April - only limited spaces are available!
 
Micro-enterprises at the early stage of growth have the opportunity to apply for the fully-funded Aston Programme for Small Business Growth. The programme is open to businesses trading in Greater Birmingham and Solihull or Coventry and Warwickshire LEP areas. Applications are now open for a September 2022 start.

Help to Grow: Management - Last Remaining Places for April 27th Start

The Help to Management: Course is a 12-module management training programme, 90% funded by the Government and participants can complete it alongside full-time work, giving 30,000 SMEs access to world-class business expertise on everything from financial management to marketing. The course combines a practical curriculum, with one-to-one support from a business mentor, peer-learning sessions and an alumni network.

Congratulations, Cohort 4

Aston Programme for Small Business Growth

• Gain relevant knowledge to apply directly into your business from experts in SME leadership and management
• Receive one-to-one support form an experienced business mentor
• Build a targeted growth strategy for your business
• Receive guidance on financial options available to you with an opportunity to pitch your growth strategy to external finance experts
• Network with other early-stage business owners from the Midlands
• Have access to Aston University’s wider support network and be invited to exclusive Business School events.

 Free 1-2-1 Mentoring Support Available 

Entrepreneurial Behaviour and the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Collapse in Confidence or a Positive Response to Uncertainty?

Mark Hart, Deputy Director of the ERC and Professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School uses data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Annual Population Surveys to examine the impact COVID-19 has had on entrepreneurship in the UK.

This blog highlights the work of a new project “Lifting the Lid on Enterprise Diversity & Growth in the West Midlands“, which will collect and analyse panel data on business creation of ethnic minorities in the West Midlands to add to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) dataset. This will generate data to support evidence-based policymaking on minority enterprise and inclusive.

"19-20% of all companies are run by women, but we need more detailed analysis on the drivers of growth." 

Aston University Professor Made Deputy Lieutenant for the West Midlands

The Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, John Crabtree OBE, has announced the appointment of an Aston University professor as a deputy lieutenant for the West Midlands.

Six individuals, whose backgrounds range from music to education, entrepreneurship, and tackling homelessness, have been given the honour for contributing significantly to either national life, to their local communities – or both.

Professor Monder Ram, director of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) at Aston University, has been recognised for his work around ethnic minority entrepreneurship.

Diversity in Tech Interview Opportunity

Aston Business School’s Department of Work & Organisation would like to get your thoughts on diversity in tech, as well as the challenges and opportunities diverse groups in tech face when it comes to using technology, developing their careers, or starting and growing their business. If interested, you would be required to take part in a short interview, which will help to form a report informing strategies and norms that need to be changed/considered within the sector.

Participants will receive free admission to a workshop that will be conducted towards the end of the research, focusing on recommendations for practices of diversity, inclusion and policies in the sector. Contributors will also be provided with comic strips that could be used as part of their organisational diversity training and an Amazon voucher for their participation.

Project Funding for Manufacturing Businesses 

On 19 May, the AI team at Innovate UK KTN, in collaboration with the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme and the Manufacturing Made Smarter Innovation Network will deliver two virtual interactive sessions where manufacturing businesses will have the opportunity to explore the uses of Artificial Intelligence within their operations.

During these sessions, they will also help identify projects that can be funded through the KTP programme – an open competition which offers support rates between 50-75% of the eligible project costs, that links forward thinking businesses with the UK’s world class knowledge bases to deliver innovation projects.

Acess to Early-Stage Finance

New Support Grid for Businesses Keen to Decarbonise Introduced by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

 Engagement Event for SMEs Delivered by University Hospitals

Feature Opportunity for Your Business