August 2023
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This conference brought together key stakeholders to discuss the future for the start-up and scale-up landscape in the UK.
It was a timely opportunity to look at the impact of measures announced in both the Spring Budget and the UK Science and Technology Framework on the start-up and scale-up ecosystem, as well as further steps which need to be taken to meet the Government’s ambition to make the UK the ‘next Silicon Valley’, announced in the 2022 Autumn Statement and reinforced in the vision for ‘Scale-up Britain’ in January 2023.
Delegates examined key priorities for growth and investment in UK start-ups and scale-ups, including overcoming barriers to innovation and strategies for R&D funding, improving access to private capital and trade opportunities, and measures to ensure effective competition and enable market access for innovative new firms.
Speakers also looked at how public procurement can further support the development and growth of SMEs, as well as priorities for improving diversity and gender equality among successful entrepreneurs and start-ups, and next steps for tackling regional inequality in the UK start-up and scale-up ecosystem.
Further sessions discussed the recommendations put forward in the Labour Party’s Start-Up, Scale-Up report, with proposals on investment and reform of the British Business Bank, public procurement, and translating university research into growth.
Overall, areas of discussion in the agenda included:
- funding and investment: next steps for encouraging growth and investment - R&D funding and tax relief - improving access to private investment - improving later stage funding and support for scale-ups
- start-up policy: key considerations for competition policy - ensuring market access for innovative products - wider regulatory reform to enable innovation
- procurement: improving access to government contracts - leveraging public procurement to support SME growth
- diversity and regional inequality: priorities for boosting gender and ethnic equality in the start-up landscape - tackling regional inequalities in the development of successful start-ups
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials from Department for the Economy, NI; DESNZ; DfT; DLUHC; DSIT; HM Treasury; IPO; Ofcom; UKSA; and The Scottish Government.
