Rugby’s MP, Mark Pawsey, has joined Prime Minister David Cameron in calling on start-up businesses and entrepreneurs across the UK to get involved in this year’s Conservative Party Start-up Hub; where they can win the opportunity to showcase their work in front of thousands of visitors at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.
Launched for the first time three years ago, the national competition is a chance for 12 new businesses to demonstrate their ideas or designs during the four day conference running from Sunday, September 28th to Wednesday, October 1st.
Launching the competition, Prime Minister David Cameron, said: “The Conservative Party believes that small businesses and entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the UK economy, and supporting them is a key part of our long term economic plan. There are over 400,000 more business than in 2010, and to show the Conservatives’ continued commitment to British enterprise and entrepreneurs I am pleased that the Conservatives are once again running the Start-Up Hub at our Conference. I fully support the initiative and encourage start-ups and entrepreneurs to apply.”
Mark said: “Supporting Rugby’s business community is essential to the continued growth in local jobs, which is why I would encourage anyone with a brilliant new idea to enter for a chance to show off their work to thousands of delegates, the nation’s media and business leaders from across the country .Last year local business Off Grid Energy won the chance to exhibit at the Start-up Hub and I know how valuable they found it.”
Danny Jones, Managing Director of Rugby based business Off Grid Energy, after winning the chance to exhibit at the Start-up Hub last year, said at the time: “When we saw a tweet about the competition from our local MP, Mark Pawsey, it seemed an ideal opportunity to get in front of thousands of influential people – something a start up with small marketing budgets can only dream of.”
To win a chance to appear at the Start-Up Hub, ideas must be submitted to the Conservative Party before July 21st. Application is through the website at www.conservatives.com/startuphub. The winners will be chosen by a panel of experts, chaired by Damian Collins MP, and including leading business representatives from Fujitsu and the BVCA.