In our view, there should have been immediate plans to boost British businesses in the manifestos.

The next Government, regardless of its political persuasion, must prioritise support of the millions of start-ups, scale-ups and entrepreneurs around the UK. These are the job creators that will continue to fuel the economy, improve productivity, exploit trade opportunities, increase the Government’s future tax take and pay for the vital education and healthcare that our country needs.

This is why we support a set of actionable policies set out in a detailed report released today, which could be implemented immediately to create a culture of entrepreneurship and boost the prospects of businesses across the UK. These policies would:

- - Deliver more targeted business support.
  - Encourage young people to gain the necessary skills for entrepreneurship or to find enterprising work opportunities.
  - Put digital transformation at the heart of the Government’s agenda to help close our productivity gap.
  - Reform the visa system to improve access to talent.
  - Simplify tax for the smallest businesses.
  - Apply an Innovation Principle to regulation and ‘sandbox’ environment to enable regulation of disruptive technologies without stifling innovation.
  - Provide an innovative digital marketplace to drive up SMB procurement.
  - Equip small businesses and scale-ups to embrace export opportunities.

These policies are not reliant on the vagaries of Brexit negotiations or major public spending commitments, but will give a clear signal that the UK is the best place to start and grow a business. We call on the next Prime Minister to put them into action.

Signatories

Giles Andrews OBE, Co-founder & CEO, Zopa; Peter, Bance, CEO, Origami Energy; Mairi Bannon, Co-Founder & Director, Strategic Dimensions; Maxine Benson, Founder, Everywoman; Dr Natalie Blakely, Founder, Light Touch Clinic; Lyndsey Britton, Co-founder Tech for Life CIC / Campus; North; Jonathan Brothers, Founder, Switch Accounting; Mark Brownridge, Director General, EISA; Ed Bussey, Founder & CEO, Quill; Glen Calvert, Founder & CEO, Affectv; Zabetta Camilleri, Founder & CEO, Shopological; Matteo Console Camprini, Founder & CEO, MCCGLC; Duncan Cheatle, Founder, Prelude Group & Rise To; James Codling, Co-Founder, VentureFounders; Rachel Coldicutt, CEO, Doteveryone; Alison Cork,Founder and CEO, Alison at Home; Rachael Corson, Founder Afrocenchix; Gareth Davies, Co-Founder & CEO, Adbrain; Nick Day, CEO, Small World FS; Dana Denis-Smith, Founder & CEO, Obelisk Support & First 100 Years; Romilly Dennys, Executive Director, Coadec; Rajeeb Dey MBE, CEO, Learnerbly; Sam Dumitriu, Research Economist, Adam Smith Institute; Steve Folwell, Co-Founder and CEO, LoveSpace; Lance Forman, Managing Director, H. Forman & Son; Jonathan Gan, Founder, Whichit; Gemma Godfrey, Founder & CEO, Moola; Sam Gordon, Co-Founder, Gordon & Eden; Kate Grussing, Founder & Managing Director, Sapphire Partners; Chris Haley, Executive Director, Policy & Research, Nesta; Nick Halstead, CEO & Founder, DataSift; David Holloway, Founder & CEO, Marlin Hawk; Mike Jackson, Founder & CEO, Webstart Bristol; Sophie Jarvis, Head, Female Founders Forum; Simon Johnson, Chairman, Association of British Jewellers; Husayn Kassai, Co-Founder, Onfido; Stephen Kelly, CEO, Sage; Laurence Kemball-Cook, CEO and Founder, Pavegen Systems; Marta Krupińska, Co-Founder, Azimo; Kate Lester, Founder & CEO, Diamond Logistics; Stuart Lucas, Founder & Co-CEO, Asset Match; Jeff Lynn, Chief Executive Officer, Seedrs; Alex MacDonald, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Velocity; Graeme Malcolm OBE, Founder & CEO, M Squared Lasers; Chris McCullough, Co-Founder, RotaGeek; Fiona McIntosh, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Blow Ltd; Simon McVicker, Director of Policy and External Affairs, IPSE; Ian Merricks, Managing Partner, White Horse Capital LLP; Cyrus Mewawalla, Founder and Managing Director, CM Research; Charlie Mowat, Founder & Managing Director, The Clean Space; David Murray-Hundley, Chairman, E Fundamentals; Guy Myles, Founder, Flying Colours; Michael Nabarro, Co-Founder & CEO, Spektrix; Pierre-Simon Ntiruhungwa, Head, Founders of the Future; Irina Pafomova, Co-Founder, Engelworks; Alastair Paterson, CEO and Co-Founder, Digital Shadows; Stephen Phillips, CEO, ZappiStore; Edward Poland, Co-Founder & COO, Hire Space; Sean Ramsden, CEO, Ramsden International; Modwenna Rees-Mogg, Founder & CEO, AngelNews; Karina Robinson, CEO, Robinson Hambro; Philip Salter, Founder, The Entrepreneurs Network; Alexander Schey, Co-Founder, Vantage Power; Toby Schulz, Co-founder, Vantage Power; Russ Shaw, Founder, Tech London Advocates; Sam Smith, Founder, finnCap; Anna Sofat, Founder, Addidi Wealth; Patrick Stobbs, Co-Founder & COO, Jukedeck; Will Swannell, Co-Founder & CEO, Hire Space; Jeffrey Thomas, Chairman & Co-Founder, UKCloud; Guy Tolhurst, Founder & Managing Director Intelligent Partnership; Michele Trusolino, Co-Founder & COO, Debut; Elizabeth Varley, Founder, TechHub; Ross Williams, Founder and Chairman, Venntro Media Group, Simon Woodroffe OBE, Founder, YO! Sushi, YOTEL & YO! Home

As featured in…

Dear Prime Minister, Please Listen to British Business (City AM)

Before the Vote: Entrepreneurs Outline Their Startup Action Plan for the Next Government(Elite Business)

Give business real support… not fairytale promises, says boss of software firm Sage (Mail on Sunday)