England a nation of shopkeepers? If only...

If you Google Napoleon, you might come across one of his more famous insults, "L'Angleterre est une nation de boutiquiers." (England is a nation of shopkeepers). He was misquoting Adam Smith, but describing somewhere as a nation of entrepreneurs is an interesting way to express contempt! Fast forward 200 years to today things have apparently changed, according to the most recent survey by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, 6.4% of the population of the United Kingdom can be considered “Entrepreneurial”; that’s a little better than the average of similar economies at 5.6%, but still some way from the Napoleonic standard measurement for hyperbole. Certainly we have some very notable entrepreneurs, but for some reason much of the population seems willing to leave the business creation to the brave, or the ‘foolish’ (I use that word in the way Steve Jobs once did).

At Cass Entrepreneurs Network (CEN) we think that’s a problem – we therefore see it as our goal to nurture entrepreneurship in an environment that doesn’t always look favourably upon those who give it a try. CEN was established in 2004 as a method of engagement between Cass alumni and the business community; today CEN sits at the heart of a vibrant entrepreneurial community at the school. Along with CEN there is the Cass Entrepreneurship Society which gives entrepreneurial students a chance to mix and form young businesses; Cityspark which provides cash prizes for students with excellent business plans; The City University Incubator that seeks to commercialise research from our parent school; and finally the Peter Cullum Foundation who provide venture finance to the brightest businesses of Cass alums. Amongst these groups, the mission of CEN is pretty simple, under the leadership of our new Chairman Leo Castellanos and a fresh executive committee, we see our mission as not just a network, but also an informational hub for our members and the wider business community. The way we see it, entrepreneurship can be a pretty risky and lonely pursuit, so information is most valuable when it is shared. We conduct regular entrepreneurial and networking events throughout the year, and when not doing events we act as a conduit for relevant information whether it comes from members, business, the media, or even entrepreneurial societies at other business schools.

This role becomes even more valuable when you consider that Cass now finds itself literally a stone’s throw from one of the most vibrant technology start-up environments in Europe, “Silicon Roundabout”. Originally build on a solid foundation of cheap rents and achingly trendy bars, today the area is alive with opportunity for business and investment. Although Cass traditionally looks towards the City, it’s hard not to be inspired by this proximity to Silicon Roundabout. As an MBA student in 2011, I undertook an MBA dissertation on a topic that combined my interest in technology, entrepreneurship and Britain’s business potential for high growth start-ups; its title was “Why is there no British ‘Google’, and what can be done about it?” One of the key findings was the need for an environment where networks are open and information is readily shared; information networks in Britain today are poor and stratified. They will need improvement if Britain wants a Google-sized IPO.

At CEN we think it’s possible and we’re doing our bit. So when you get sick of Googling Napoleon, why not Google “Cass Entrepreneurs Network” or do the same on LinkedIn. Come help us make Cass the business school of choice for the would-be entrepreneurs of London’s Silicon Roundabout.

James Clark

Marketing Director for Cass Entrepreneurs Network
Cass Entrepreneurs Network