Liverpool starts week of enterprise events

A SERIES of events are taking place across Liverpool over the next few days to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week ahead of the city hosting next year’s Global Entreprneurship Conference (GEC) in March.

A joint Liverpool Vision/Downtown Liverpool in Business conference takes place today with speakers including Liverpool City Council leader Joe Anderson, Redrow chief Steve Morgan and Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rachael Reeves MP.

Liverpool’s Great Enterprise Challenge, for which schools have been given £100 investment from Liverpool city council to develop a business idea and win a trip to Washington DC, also reaches its second stage with an event at Liverpool Football Club.

Liverpool Vision chief executive Max Steinberg said Global Entrepreneurship Week provides the the city with the chance to build up to the GEC 2012 when 3,000 delegates from more than 120 countries will be in the city.

He said: “Our ambition is to make Liverpool the enterprise hub for the UK and we want to create the conditions in which innovators and entrepreneurs can thrive and that has never been more important than now.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week and the Congress in Liverpool next year are key milestones to help us achieve these goals while learning new lessons on how we can best stimulate and grow our economy.”

Banking giant Lloyds has also confirmed that it has agreed to sponsor next year’s Global Enterpreneurship Congress.

John Maltby, group commercial director for Lloyds Banking Group, said: “The UK has a proud history of enterprise but we can learn from the rest of the world, through all those coming to Liverpool for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress.

“We are absolutely committed to providing the finance and broader support that is so vital to help businesses succeed.”