Business creation initiative wins praise

Business creation initiative wins praiseKeywords: Innovation, Business

The University of Warwick Science Park's business creation initiative,TeamStart, has been highlighted as an example of best practice in Europe. It heads a list of 25 entrepreneur development programmes in the Financing Innovation project, sponsored by the European Commission. Manchester Business School and Imperial College, London, are also in the list. TeamStart helps ambitious, successful and experienced managers and directors to overcome the transition from current employment to high growth, team-based enterprises. Since its inception in 1997, TeamStart has helped to create more than 20 new businesses. Mark Green, project executive, said: "The report notes that TeamStart should be of great interest to anyone who wishes to design entrepreneur-training programmes. Furthermore, it correctly picks out that we place emphasis on mentoring and practical support from experienced facilitators and entrepreneurs, rather than on traditional, classroom-based aspects of tuition."

Financing Innovation seeks to foster new technology-based firms and develop the training of entrepreneurs. Part of the process involves identifying and disseminating best practice.

Further information is available from Harry Stott. Tel: +44 24 7632 3114;e-mail: harry.stott@uwsp.co.uk