Press

Please direct media enquiries to Octopus Communications - entrepreneur@octopuscomms.net or 08453 700655

See below for our press coverage to date: 

The Telegraph: Graduates get helping hand with start-ups - "Tamara Rajah, of McKinsey, said it [Entrepreneur First] was designed to address the "fact that entrepreneurship is often not on the radar of the best and brightest graduates".

LondonlovesBusiness:  Big business backs new initiative to find tomorrow's business stars - “The most impressive thing is undoubtedly the talent that they’ve attracted to the programme in its first year."

TechWorld:  Aspiring technology entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to make their ideas a reality - “Entrepreneur First is really about building valuable companies. This is not work experience, it is a step into the world of entrepreneurship.”

V3.co.uk: London’s start-up community given investment boost prior to Olympics 2012 - Entrepreneur First "will de-risk the challenges often involved with entrepreneurs starting their own businesses."

Startups.co.uk: Boris Johnson Hails Scheme's 'Spirit of Enterprise' - "Entrepreneur First...is the perfect focal point for ambitious young entrepreneurs from across the country"

Wall Street Journal: UK Prime Minister Celebrates Tech City - "Entrepreneur First ... is an ambitious plan to lure U.K. graduates away from conventional careers and consider entrepreneurship"

Daily Telegraph: David Cameron Hails Success of London's Tech City - "Entrepreneur First [will] take Tech City to a new level"

Financial Times: High Tech and the City meet in Shoreditch - "The idea that you can just leave university and start something I don’t think has entered the consciousness of the best students"

TechCrunch EU: A Year Later the Prime Minister Returns to East London's 'Tech City'  - "In related news Entrepreneur First, the Government-launched scheme created to help UK graduates start their own businesses, launched in East London."

TechCity UK: NEWS: Tech City Hails Phenomenal Growth - "Entrepreneur First, a ground-breaking new scheme to encourage more graduates to start up their own business venture"

Startups: Graduates Encouraged to Apply for Start-up Scheme - "Ed Vaizey, minister for culture, communications and creative industries, said: 'Entrepreneur First will identify and nurture our most promising entrepreneurs. Successful applicants will receive the very best help and support to transform their ideas into successful businesses.' "

ZDNet: Cameron helps Tech City celebrate first anniversary - "The whole idea is to identify bright, motivated people who can come up with ideas"

Fresh Business Thinking: Surge in Student Entrepreneurs Must be Supported - "The right support network can make up any shortfall in experience. This is one of Entrepreneur First’s primary aims."

Growth Business: Students Pushed Towards Entrepreneurship - "Entrepreneurs, student groups and major employers have backed a not-for-profit scheme that aims to encourage university graduates to consider entrepreneurship as a career path"

Silicon.com: Tech City one year on: Have the promises been kept? - "What's been achieved: The government's Entrepreneur First scheme"

businessZONE: Cameron Hails the Success of London's Tech City - "The prime minister also announced an ‘Entrepreneur First Scheme’ to encourage graduates to start their own businesses.[...] 'The growth in Tech City is hugely exciting – and looks set to continue.'"

BCS The Chartered Institute for IT: David Cameron Hails Tech City - "The prime minister said that Tech City now hosts 600 businesses and has helped set up an indicator for small businesses, and an 'Entrepreneur First' scheme to encourage young people to set up companies."

We held our national media launch on November 10 2011. Please see our press release.

For the Downing Street press release announcing Entrepreneur First, see "PM welcomes scheme to help graduates start businesses"