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APPG for Entrepreneurship Virtual Roundtable: SME Productivity

This virtual roundtable will kick off a theme on SME Productivity that the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Entrepreneurship is undertaking with support from Virgin Money.

It is for key experts, entrepreneurs, special advisers, civil servants and politicians. We will use this to learn more about the key issues, research and ideas. Attendees’ input will help shape the Call for Evidence, which will form the backbone of the final briefing paper.

Background

What is the best way to support business owners to upskill and adopt better technology? In 2019, the Government published its Business Productivity Review, which found that if the UK's 5.9 million small and medium-sized businesses became as productive as their German counterparts by adopting better management practices and technology, it would add £100bn to the economy. Since the review’s publication, the Government has announced a range of programmes designed to boost digital adoption and expand access to high-quality management training for SMEs.

This APPG for Entrepreneurship Briefing Paper would review recent progress on the Government’s Business Productivity agenda, looking at programmes such as Help to Grow: Management, Digital and the Business Basics programme. We would draw on insights from entrepreneurs and organisations which support them to identify what entrepreneurs want from the programmes and whether they are working.

The aim of this report would be to assess the state of play in business support and identify potential gaps in provision, while also highlighting private initiatives such as Virgin Money’s Levelling Upstarts programme.

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Entrepreneurship

The APPG for Entrepreneurship was set up to encourage, support and promote entrepreneurship. It ensures that Parliament is kept up-to-date on what is needed to create and sustain the most favourable conditions for entrepreneurship. The Entrepreneurs Network is its Secretariat. Sign up to the monthly newsletter here.

Virgin Money

This year, Virgin Money launched Levelling Upstarts, which is aimed at supporting SMEs across the country to digitise, upskill and improve productivity. It is encouraging any business based across the UK with less than 250 employees to apply for the programme if they think that their business has a challenge that MBA and master's students could help solve. The programme will be delivered digitally meaning that there are no barriers with location.

Email events@tenentrepreneurs.org to request a place.