Entrepreneurship in the West Midlands

There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that the West Midlands is a good place to start a business.  The West Midlands region is known for its diversity, and there is a strong link with entrepreneurial activity.  In particular, certain communities and ethnic minority groups in the region have a very strong record of starting businesses.  Evidence also shows that the West Midlands are a good place for women and young people to start a business.

Following the decline in manufacturing over the last 15-20 years new manufacturing industries are starting to emerge, particularly around areas such as energy, conservation and in support of the automotive sector. There are also clusters of new industries starting to emerge such as creative industries and food technologies.

Why do business in the West Midlands?

Today we've turned to entrepreneurship expert and Aston graduate Debra Blisson, Director of Enterprise and Business Support at Advantage West Midlands for her perspective on entrepreneurship in the region and the support available to entrepreneurs.  Debra is an Aston MBA graduate and is about to embark on a PhD looking at female entrepreneurship. Revisit us on Friday to hear Debra’s thoughts on female entrepreneurship.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

Aston University is partnering with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme which is expanding to the Midlands. The initiative, already successfully established in Yorkshire and the North West, is designed to boost local economic growth and job creation through providing a combination of targeted business education and support services to small businesses and social enterprises in the region. More >