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Can We Create Thriving Startup Cities?


Can We Create Thriving Startup Cities? Posted on Jul 03, 2012 by  | 0 Comments By Dug CampbellLast night marked the Edinburgh leg of the European Pub Summit Tech Crawl tour organised by Paddy Cosgrave and the team behind the highly-rated Dublin Web Summit andLondon Web Summit. As expected, there was a great turnout with (as far as I could tell across a packed room at Cargo) most of the local startup tech scene putting in an appearance. However, despite the bar tab being picked up once again by the ever-supportive Gareth Williams and the Skyscanner guys, it was clear that alcohol wasn’t the main draw here.Looking around the...
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2470 Hits

Five Ingredients for Extreme Startup Success


Five Ingredients for Extreme Startup Success Posted on Jul 19, 2012 by  | 0 Comments By Dug CampbellWe all know that starting up a business is tough and time-consuming. But what else have you done recently? How about combining it with hurling yourself out of planes, winning a man-hauling race to the Magnetic North Pole, representing Britain in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race and summiting Everest from the (more) dangerous North Side?I listened to a fascinating talk last night given byJustin Packshaw, a man whose list of past achievements includes all of the above (and more) in the years...
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1304 Hits

Innovation Damage: Has Facebook Altered The Landscape For Other Startups?


Innovation Damage: Has Facebook Altered The Landscape For Other Startups? Posted on Jun 11, 2012 by  | 0 Comments By Dug CampbellThis Thursday sees the launch of thePraxisUnico Spinouts UK Annual Report 2012 in Southampton. The project, run by our friends at Young Company Finance, provides a fascinating insight into the trends in the formation of all spinout and startup companies created out of higher education establishments since 2000. It will be of particular interest in my city as The University of Edinburgh has traditionally performed exceptionally well in the tables.As with any survey, the numbers will of course always be open to...
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1307 Hits

Loan Notes for Investors: Are They Becoming More Popular?

Loan Notes for Investors: Are They Becoming More Popular? Posted on Jun 26, 2012 by Kenny Mumford  | 0 Comments By Kenny MumfordOver the past eighteen months or so, I have noticed a clear trend developing in the world of early-stage investment as UK angel investors increasingly use loan note investments to finance businesses. Debt finance by business angels has become more popular in the US in recent years but the tax incentives that are available in the UK – specifically EIS relief – mean that equity remains the most common way for angels to invest in this country. Since the introduction of EIS...
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1416 Hits

Should More Employees Own Shares?

Should More Employees Own Shares? Posted on Jul 26, 2012 by Kenny Mumford  | 0 Comments By Kenny MumfordA recent report published by BIS (the Nuttall Review of Employee Ownership) has resulted in the government announcing that it will:look at giving employees the right to ask their employer to consider introducing employee ownership arrangements;establish an institute for employee ownership; andproduce new ‘off-the-shelf’ DIY packs for companies to introduce employee ownership.The issue of employee ownership comes under the spotlight from time to time, with businesses like John Lewis being held up as great examples of employee-owned companies.  Indeed, one of my own favourite...
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1503 Hits

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