Agenda item

9.1

The Business Growth Manager introduced a number of guest speakers to the committee that gave testimonies on their experience of Business Start Ups in Sheffield;

•       Alexis Krachai – Future President, Sheffield Chamber

•       Dash Tabor – Founder of TUBR, Predictive Analytics Platform

•       Ruth McDonald – Black Business Group Founder, Race Equality Commission Member

•       Tom Wolfenden – CEO, Sheffield Tech Park, Founder of SIAN Network, partner in Team SY

•       Andy Hogben – University of Sheffield spin-outs and Northern Gritstone lead for the university

•       Joseph Quinn – Innovation Director SYMCA and lead for Regional Business Support Group

9.2

The committee heard from partners representing parts of the business ecosystem including;

•       A Business Recovery Plan, implemented post-pandemic

•       Business support resources

•       The Launchpad Programme

•       The Sheffield Incubation and Acceleration Network

•       Team SY – Accelerator Programme

•       Northern Gritstone

•       SY Tech Welcome grants

•       SYMCA Regional Business Support Group

The committee heard about the data sets of start up rates against other core cities, the changes in the ecosystem and the progress made over the last few years and also the gaps in the ecosystem that still exist.

Growth was highlighted as a clear priority for Sheffield in addition to a necessity to be bolder on start-ups by making the decision chain more efficient and this committee leading in critical areas.

9.3

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee Policy Committee:-

·       Note the presentation.