Rishi Sunak’s Bold Move to Boost Small Business and Women Entrepreneurs
At a bustling business gathering in Coventry, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rolled out a fresh suite of plans aimed at simplifying life for startups and empowering the next generation of female founders.
New Apprenticeship Drive
Sunak promised a fresh wave of 20,000 apprenticeships, paired with funding to give young people a chance to learn on the job. “It’s time we invest in the people who will shape our economy tomorrow,” he said, drawing a clear line between learning and earning.
Getting Women in the Fold
He pulled out the curtain on the Invest‑in‑Women Taskforce, a post‑COVID initiative led by Hannah Bernard of Barclays and serial entrepreneur Debbie Wosskow.
“Only 2 % of equity gets to female founders, a stubborn figure that’s not budged a decade,” Sunak noted. “We’re launching a dedicated fund, tackling that gap head‑on, so the UK can become the best place for women to start a business.”
Small Business Sweeteners
- Lower taxes: A new round of tax relief aimed at keeping cash in the pockets of SMEs.
- Less bureaucracy: A crackdown on red‑tape, slashing the paperwork that slows down growth.
- Financing made easier: Better access to capital, backed by the newly formed taskforce.
What the Experts Are Saying
Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch
“SMEs are the backbone of the UK’s economy. Every major job we see today starts in a small firm or from a boot‑strap dream.”
Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds
“For fourteen years, the Conservative strategy has been a broken compass. Businesses are finding it increasingly tough to survive; the revival has come at a steep cost as many have been forced to close.”
Karim Fatehi MBE – London Chamber of Commerce
Fatehi praised the government’s “welcome announcements” and called for:
- Expanded apprenticeship opportunities to balance the skill gap.
- Levy flexibility – extending deadlines and allowing pre‑employment training spend.
- Regulation road‑blocks removed – for example, easing financial reporting thresholds.
- “Unlocking the potential of thousands of young talent and freeing small firms to focus on growth rather than paperwork.
- “A sharp increase in female entrepreneurial investment could add a whopping £250bn to the UK economy – that’s not just a number, that’s a future.”
Fatehi wrapped up with a hopeful note: “These reforms must be part of continuous effort to break barriers and tackle high energy bills, stiff loan rates, and a tough macro‑economic climate. That way, we can keep the ‘Year of the SME’ alive and drive a high‑growth economy.”
Takeaway
Rishi Sunak’s plan is a truth‑bending effort to give small firms, hopeful apprentices, and women entrepreneurs a fighting chance. It’s less about policy, more about delivering on promises that keep the UK moving forward – one startup at a time, one new woman leader at a time.
