Business News


New scheme to encourage business growth launched


PwC, in partnership with BizzInn, is launching a new initiative to help high potential businesses bridge the gap between innovative late-stage start-up and established large organisation. The initiative is the ‘SCALE: Midlands Programme’, the latest in a series aimed at connecting dynamic young businesses with potential customers and industry decision makers, as well as introducing the former to a network of investors and experts who can help provide the tools to close deals and secure investment. Designed to support


entrepreneurial activity across the greater Midlands area, the programme is based in Birmingham, home to the largest number of start-up businesses outside London. Steve Smith, Midlands fast growth


leader at PwC, said: “We recognise that the primary needs of scale-ups are to access new customers and gain further investment. In our SCALE programmes we help businesses become fit for scaling,


world’s biggest brands, in a way that allows both sides to learn from each other and build commercial opportunities. Interest is extending beyond the UK and we’re seeing increased collaboration from overseas, both from our global PwC network, scale-up applicants and programme partners.” David Coleman, head of


Steve Smith: small businesses an ‘essential’


then open the doors to our network, facilitating introductions and funding opportunities. “Small businesses are an


essential part of the UK economy and it’s important we do everything we can to help them prosper post- Brexit. The success of our previous scale programmes inspired us to up the ante, with six more in the pipeline in autumn and more to come in 2018. “We’re bringing fast-growing and ambitious scale-ups from across the Midlands together with the


enterprise acceleration at BizzInn, which is a business incubator run by the University of Birmingham’s Enterprise Acceleration Team, said: “Birmingham and the greater Midlands area is full of innovative young companies. “However, taking the leap from


being a small company with a great product and a few early customers to one which is a really fast growing company attracting big customers, takes ambition, a great team and the right resources. “The PwC SCALE Programme is


a fantastic opportunity for those with the ambition and team, but who need help in attracting and closing deals with those big corporate customers.”


Safari Park celebrates birth of white rhino


West Midland Safari Park is celebrating the birth of a second baby southern white rhino in the space of 18 months. Following a lengthy pregnancy


of 16 months, first-time mum Keyah, who is eight, gave birth to the new arrival on 8 September. The calf was separated briefly


from her mum for a swift health check and, at just 30 hours old, already weighed a whopping 70kg. This birth is another great


success for the safari park and its white rhino breeding programme, following the arrival of the baby girl's half-brother, Ekozu, in March last year. In the wild, southern white rhinos


face a huge threat due to habitat loss and more commonly, poaching. Lisa Watkins, head keeper of


ungulates, said: “The team are really pleased that all of their hard work has resulted in this fantastic healthy calf. “With the current threats that


rhinos are facing in the wild, this birth is even more important to the population as a whole. “Breeding in zoological


collections provides a valuable safety net for their wild counterparts.”


Data Protection Matters


On 25th May, 2018, data protection law changes when the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect.


It affects everyone.


As individuals, we gain rights over how businesses use information about us. As business owners, we must look at what personal information we hold and ensure we use it safely and responsibly.


This is a good thing. We’ve all fallen into bad habits. Now it’s time to build some new good ones.


Every business will be different. There won’t be a single solution, but that doesn’t it will be complicated, expensive or onerous.


To start your journey, contact Scott Taylor on: 0121 405 4369


email: scott@ebitconsultancy.co.uk or visit: ebitconsultancy.co.uk/gdpr


October 2017 CHAMBERLINK 15


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