The Entrepreneurs Network and MDRx are hosting this roundtable to consider the role of procurement in driving innovation.

While successive governments have amended legislation, set ambitious targets, and talked a good game, little has changed ‘on the ground’.

This roundtable will look at procurement afresh, considering what a new Government might want to change in its first Parliament. It would open with an overview of the Procurement Bill, setting out what it gets right and where there is room for improvement. It would then go on to discuss the following questions:

• Why does the UK sometimes fail so spectacularly on some procurement projects and how can we get earlier indications of when things are not working?

• What bureaucracy, regulations, or information asymmetries still hold back true innovators from accessing government contracts?

• How can risk, innovation and (manageable) failure be built into the procurement process?

• How can the government better identify which experts to consult with?

• What can we learn from best practices internationally?

• What technology could be utilised to increase efficiency and competition?

Attendees for this roundtable will be a mix of policymakers and experts.

The Entrepreneurs Network is the voice of entrepreneurs. We are a think tank that bridges the gap between entrepreneurs and policymakers, with the aim of making Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business.

MDRx exists to harness the latest emerging technologies in a safe, secure and legally compliant way. It specialises in strategy, software engineering, and data analytics, backed by best-in-class lawyers from across The MDR Group.

Email events@tenentrepreneurs.org to request a place.