As we published our Startup Manifesto with The Entrepreneurs Network today, over 250 leading entrepreneurs have backed our blueprint for the next government to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business.
In an open letter to the next government they have written:
“As founders of some of the UK’s most successful businesses, we call on the parties seeking to form our next government to prioritise the needs of Britain’s startups and scale-ups.
Despite Brexit uncertainty, the nation’s entrepreneurial spirit is undimmed. Since 2010, the number of people engaged in early-stage entrepreneurial activity has increased by a third. Total venture capital investment in UK tech topped £6bn in 2018, more than any other European country. And all this growth has meant hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
Entrepreneurship is essential to the British economy. That’s why we support the Startup Manifesto by The Coalition for a Digital Economy (Coadec) & The Entrepreneurs Network.
What startups need from government to build world-beating companies is simple. Access to top talent from both here in the UK and abroad; the right tax incentives to foster and grow early-stage businesses then access to the capital needed to scale them; and a clear, simple set of rules and regulations flexible enough to encourage new and innovative startup business models.
This means reforming the visa system so startups can attract the best and brightest without needless bureaucracy, streamlining tax reliefs so we can get timely investments in ambitious businesses, and reforming pension regulations to attract more funding into early-stage businesses.
These policies would be good for startups, but more importantly, they would be good for the UK. When you support Britain’s entrepreneurs you support the whole economy. We urge all the political parties in this election to bear that in mind and develop a startup and scale-up friendly approach for the years to come.”
We’d like to thank you all for your support!
List of signatories:
- Carlos Silva – Co-founder, Seedrs
- Aron Gelbard – Co-founder & CEO, Bloom & Wild
- Christian Nentwich – CEO, Duco
- Emma Jones – Founder, Enterprise Nation
- Sarah Wood – Co-founder, Unruly
- James Lohan – Founder, Mr & Mrs Smith
- Mats Stigzelius – Founder and Chairman, Takumi
- Mike Lawton – Founder, Oxford Space Systems
- Shaun Azam – CFO, Sweatcoin
- Stephen Rapoport – Founder, Pact Coffee
- Simon Rogerson – CEO, Octopus Group
- Edwina Dunn – CEO, Starcount (Founder, dunnhumby)
- Virginie Charles-Dear – Founder & CEO, toucanBox
- Giles Andrews – Co-founder, Zopa
- Tom Carrell – CEO, Cydar Medical
- Jonathan Sattin – Founder, triyoga
- Simon Woodroffe – Founder of YO! Sushi & YOTEL
- Dom Hallas – Executive Director, The Coalition for a Digital Economy
- Daniel Korski – CEO and Co-founder, PUBLIC
- Kris Naudts – Founder, Culture Trip
- Doug Monro – Co-Founder & CEO, Adzuna
- Celia Francis – CEO, Rated People
- Christian Faes – CEO & Co-Founder, LendInvest
- Merlie Calvert – Founder and CEO, Farillio Limited
- Tugce Bulut – CEO and Co-founder, Streetbees
- Alex Stephany – Founder & CEO, Beam
- Cecile Reinaud – Founder and President of Seraphine ltd
- John Spindler – CEO, Capital Enterprise
- Jeff Lynn – Executive Chairman & Co-Founder, Seedrs
- Rajeeb Dey MBE – Founder & CEO, Learnerbly
- Andrew Webster – Co-Founder, DesignMyNight
- Husayn Kassai – CEO & CoFounder, Onfido
- Justine Roberts – Founder, Mumsnet & Gransnet
- Vincent Fraux – Co-Founder, Oxford Space Systems
- John Fingleton – Founder and CEO, Fingleton
- David Dunn – CEO, Sunderland Software City, Chairperson, UK Tech Cluster Group
- Philip Salter – Founder, The Entrepreneurs Network
- Thish Nadesan – COO, Cleo
- Tania Boler – Founder and CEO, Elvie
- Taavet Hinrikus – Co-Founder and Chairman, Transferwise
- Anna Lane – CEO, The Wisdom Council
- Adrian Gregory – CEO, DataIQ
- Ana Andres – Co-founder, TidyChoice
- Bryony Simpson – Founder, Engineers for Pioneers
- Iglika Ghouse – Founder & CEO, USPAAH
- Guy Tolhurst – Group CEO, Indagate Group
- Ian Drew – Chairman, Foundries.io
- James Dean – CEO, Sensat
- Iona Smith – Founder, New Life Classes Ltd
- David Murray-Hundley – Chairman, E-Fundamentals
- Elizabetta Camilleri – CEO, indiluup
- Hannah Cox – Founder, betternotstop
- James Clews – CEO, Venture
- Ana Andres – Director, TidyChoice
- Irina Pafomova – Co-Founder, Engelworks
- Janice Gordon – Founding Director, Problem Solving Company
- Andrew Dixon – Founder, ARC InterCapital Ltd
- Anne-Laure Le Cunff – Founder, Ness Labs
- Dana Denis-Smith – Obelisk Support, CEO
- Geeta Sidhu-Robb – CEO, Nosh Detox Delivery Ltd
- David Regler – Founder, Maine Associates Ltd
- Cordelia Meacher – Managing Director & Founder, FieldHouse Associates
- Emma Joy Obanye – CEO, Mindful
- James Lemon – CEO, The Growth Works
- Ben Fletcher – Founder, Lead Bullets
- Adrian Wong – Founder & CEO at Fuse Foundry
- Maria Tanjala – Co-Founder, FilmChain
- Mark Twigg – Executive Director, Cicero Group
- Merita Memisi – CEO, Carter Labs
- Christina Richardson – Founder, weare3Sixty
- Miguel Martinez – Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientists, Signal AI
- Daniel George – Founder, StepEx
- Michael Piddock – Founder, Glisser
- Maria Inmaculada Martinez-Rubio – Venture Partner, Deep Science Ventures
- Rachael Twumasi-Corson – Co-Founding Director, Afrocenchix
- Mike Battle – Co-Founder & CEO, LaplandUK
- Simon Hall – CEO, eCommerce Performance Model
- Charlie Stein-Cohen – Founder & CEO, Net2Work
- Manya Klempner – Founder, Rathbone Boxing Club
- Robert Hollamby – Professor of Enterprise, Leeds University
- Sven Al Hamad – Co-Founder & CEO, Webiny
- Gemma Taylor – Director, Rocket Bridging Limited
- Simon La Fosse – Founder & Chairman, La Fosse Associates
- Ashok Suppiah – Co-Founder & CEO, Mitra Innovation
- Dinara Asadulina – CEO, Plombir
- Kate Grussing – Founder, Sapphire Partners
- Matt Kuppers – Founder & CEO, Startup Manufactory Ltd
- Shane Smith – CEO, Intelligent Crowd TV
- Karina Robinson – CEO, Robinson Hambro Ltd
- Randa Bennett – Founder & CEO, VeeLoop
- Vincent Boon – Founder, Standing on Giants
- Rick Lowe – Managing Director, Brands In Ltd
- Neeta Patel – CEO, Centre for Entrepreneurs
- Russ Shaw – Founder, Tech London Advocates & Global Tech Advocates
- Alpesh Patel – CEO, Pipspredator.com
- Julie Walters – Founder, Raremark
- Joe Seddon – Founder & CEO, Zero Gravity
- Ross Fobian – Co-founder & CEO, ResponseTap
- Diane Banks – Founder & CEO, Northbank Talent Management Ltd
- Elizabeth Drew – Founder, Osmology (Acre Supply Co. Limited)
- Actar Arya – CEO, D A Languages Ltd
- Mark Lightowler – Founder & CEO, Phorix Limited
- Sheelpa Patel – Founder & Managing Director, Mavens & Mavericks Ltd
- John Attridge – CEO, BBXUK
- Reina D’costa – Founder, Bizlaw UK
- James Boyd-Wallis – Director, Fourteen Forty
- David Holloway – CEO, Marlin Hawk Group
- David Benigson – CEO, Signal AI
- Joe Charlesworth – Director, Highway Data Systems Ltd
- Tim Chater – Director, Zero to Sixty
- Krisztina Tardos – Founder, The Merit Club
- Toby Schulz – Founding Director, Vantage Power
- Will Young – CEO, rais.io
- Agata Boczkowska – COO, rais.io
- Jude Ower – Founder/CEO, Playmob
- Robert Lingard – CEO, Power Brand Communications
- Hanadi Jabado – Director of Enterprise, University of Cambridge Judge Business School
- Hela Wozniak-Kay – Co-Founder, Sister Snog
- Sam Gordon – Founder, Gordon & Eden
- Halima Hamid – Founder, The Rustic Roots Company
- Lisa Thorne – Managing Director & Founder, Together Group Ltd.
- Chi-chi Ekweozor – Founder & CEO, Assenty
- Veera Johnson – Managing Partner, Johnson Capital Advisory Ltd
- Raphael Chow – CEO & Co-Founder, Wevat
- Jack Pearson – Director, EngX
- Una Cottrell – Founder & MD, Authentic Marketing
- Allison Alexander – Founder, Branue
- Lucy Sharp – Co-Founder, Dot Residential
- Frankie Fox – Co-Founder, The Foraging Fox
- Sean Ramsden – Founder and Chief Executive, Ramsden International
- Fiona Castela – Director, Castela Consulting
- Tilly McAuliffe – Owner, Think Publishing & Wanderlust Magazine
- Natalia Bojanic – Co-Founder, Form Nutrition
- Richard Carter – CEO, CCww
- Touria Roqaa – Founder & CEO, Roccabox
- Will Dracup – CEO, Biosignatures Ltd
- Simon Cherry – Director, Phantom Ltd
- Nick Sturge – Director, Engine Shed
- Yannick Brunner – Co-founder, WealthKernel
- Stuart Clarke – Director, Paceline
- Ben Brabyn – Head, Level39
- Iris Anson – Co-founder, Etiq
- Pratik Sampat – CEO, ihorizon
- Dr Nicholas Field-Johnson – Senior Partner, Fraser Finance LLP
- Madhuban Kumar – Co-Founder & CEO, Metafused
- Al Gerrie – Founder & CEO, ZigZag Global
- Rick Benfield – CEO, thirdbridge
- Andrew Tibbitts – COO, TechHub
- Kully Singh – CEO & Founder, Player Up
- Aneesh Varma – Founder & CEO, Aire
- Stephen Oldroyd – Head of Strategy, Adzuna
- Luke Robinson – Partner, Post Urban Ventures
- Alastair Paterson – CEO, Digital Shadows
- Sophie Sandor – Founder, Uncouth Chic Films
- Kristian Papadakis – Founding Director, Presso Network
- Davide Machado – Founder, Splitcab Ltd
- Jonathan Holtby – CCO, Dataswift
- Nilema Bhakta-Jones – Chief Operating Officer, Farillio
- Alex Gurr – Head of Sales, Farillio
- Manita Rai – Operations Manager, HireHand
- James Garner – Founder, Sticky
- David Hulmes – Founder, Jackhumble
- Darin Brockman – CEO & Founder, Firsty Group
- Alma Ramirez Acosta – Co-Founder, Vibio
- Rosemary forsythh – Founder, Forsyth Group
- Yogesh Gupta – Founder, GET-NILA LIMITED
- Peter White – CTO, W Cubed Tech Ltd
- Kuvera Sivalingam – Co-Founder, Learn How Now
- Niall Jones – Founder, Innevent
- Phoebe Yiin – Head of Operations, Dataswift
- George Biddle – Founder & CEO, The Grad Soc
- Theodosis Georgiou – CSO, Wild AI
- Jack Dow – Founder & CEO, Grapevine
- Sakunthala Panditharatne – Founder, Asteroid Technologies, Inc
- Geoff Anderson – CEO, PixelPin
- Natasha Guerra – CEO, Runway East
- Simon Francis – CEO, Flock Associates
- Jack Gaskin – Co-Founder, GoKart
- Steve Day – Co-Founder, Football Matcher LTD
- Phil Day – Co-Founder, Football Matcher LTD
- Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter OBE – Chairman, Coltraco Ultrasonics
- Oliver May – COO and Co-founder, Streetbees
- Seb Barker – Co-Founder & COO, Beam
- Dan Walker – Founder, Lnet Digital Ltd
- Sophie Newbould – CEO, Newbould & Co Solicitors | COO, Athensys
- Ian Merricks – Chair, The Accelerator Network
- Fabrizio Nicolosi – Founder, Leaders First
- Emma Little – Founder & CEO, ExecSpace
- Yuliana Topazly – Director, My OutSpace
- Evgeny Shadchnev – CEO, Makers
- Kevin Flanagan – Founder, Dialoguers
- Edmond Ibrahimi – CEO, Propertalis
- James Butler – CEO, Tollo Ltd
- Laurence Nicholas John – CEO, Ctrlio ltd
- Lee Strafford – CEO, ADV
- Chris Barley – Founder & CEO, Converso
- Ellie Webb – Founder, Caleño Drinks
- Vivi Friedgut – Founder, Blackbullion Ltd
- Louise Doherty – CEO, Yoller
- Meera Panchal – CEO, Synadd
- Elizabeth Ellis – Founder, Blue Marble Private
- Dr. Maria Aretoulaki – Founder & Director, DialogCONNECTION Ltd
- Chang Liu – CEO, Extend Robotics
- Jerry Young – CEO, ieDigital
- Simon Thethi – Founder, Tech City News / Indicium Ventures
- Ajay C Thomas – CEO, Sweans Technologies
- Vicky Ngari-Wilson – Founder, The Rural Retail
- Sara Ahmadi – CEO & Founder, shopest
- Christopher Lier – Co-Founder & CMO, LeadGen App
- Sharmadean Reid – CEO & Founder, Beautystack
- Pawel Bojarski – CEO, Sceenic
- Paul Bellamy – CTO, truenova
- Paul Andrews – Founder, School Lettings Solutions
- Ross Williams – Founder, Venntro Media Group
- Dalila Duffy – Finance Director, Mercanto Limited
- Anna B. Sexton – Founder, Open To Create… Ltd
- Becca Courtenay – Co-Founder, The Plantifull Food Co.
- Michele Trusolino – Co-Founder & CEO, Debut
- Shelley Stuart – Director, Stuart Consulting
- Lizzy Hodcroft – Co-Founder, Myndr Ltd
- Charlie Mowat – Founder & CEO, The Clean Space
- Nicolas Colin – Co-Founder & Director, The Family
- Chris Butcher – Co-Founder & CTO, Portify
- Jonathan Wiggin – Founder and CEO, Pionr
- Sho Sugihara – Co-Founder & CEO, Portify
- Michael Nabarro – CEO & Co-founder, Spektrix
- Anne Sutton-Scales – Start-up Founder, Designihastings.com
- Daniele Baroncelli – CEO, Trenìt! / GoBright Media Ltd
- Rafael dos Santos – CEO, High Profile Club
- Dharmin Polra – Partner, London Investable
- Michael O’Sullivan – CEO, Bywire News
- Sorcha Lorimer – Founder & CEO, Trace
- Carlo Alberto Seneci – CEO and Co-Founder, Future Forge Ltd
- Shaan Ahmed – Founder, Uown
- Kirsty Macdonald – Investment Manager, JamJar Investments
- Fotini Markopoulou – CEO, doppel
- Freddie Blackett – CEO, Patch
- Sarah J. Wadham – Founder & CEO, SJW Corporate Services Ltd.
- Peter Bance – CEO, Origami Energy
- Keyu Sumaria – Co-Founder, The Oblique Life
- Adrian Palmer – Former CEO, Proven Legal Technologies
- Dmitry Ivanov – Co-Founder, Wevat
- Sophie Eden – Co-Founder, Gordon & Eden
- Elizabeth Varley – Founder & CEO, TechHub
- Alexander Fitzgerald – Founder and CEO, Cuckoo Internet
- Silvia Ferrero – CEO, MediaLoc Ltd
- Simon Hulme – Programme Director, MSc Entrepreneurship, UCL School of Management
- Diane Young – Co-Founder & CEO, The Drum
- Dr Christopher Haley – Head of Startup Research, Nesta
- Jessica Mendoza – Founder and CEO, Monadd
- John Stapleton – Founder, Entrepreneur & Business Advisor
- Giles Palmer – Brandwatch
- Letitia Seglah – CEO and Founder, Build Scale Grow
- Jonathan Cohen – Founder, Canvus
- Ufuk Polat – Founder & Engineer, Deplike
- Kim Palmer – Founder, Clementine
- Annabel Denham – Founder, Female Founders Forum
- Emma Sinclair MBE – Co-Founder, EnterpriseAlumni
- Karen Kerrigan – Chief Operating Officer, Seedrs