Startacus Monthly Financial News Round-up - September 2014
by Startacus Admin
Welcome to the Startacus monthly financial news round-up, brought to you by Sophie Turton of Crunch Accounting.
Scotland decided to stay in the UK and the media moved their clairvoyance elsewhere. Meanwhile, September saw more growth for small and micro-businesses, who, it is predicted, will change the face of British enterprise. Ed Miliband also showed his support for the self-employed ‘army’, highlighting the need for better government backing and growth schemes.
60% of small businesses expect growth 
60% of small firms in the UK expect to grow over the next 12 months, with all sectors reporting a positive outlook for the seventh quarter in a row, according to a survey by the Federation of Small Business (FSB).
The report coincides with the latest growth figures from the Office for National Statistics, which show the economy grew 3.2% in Q2 this year. This continued growth has prompted a stronger confidence in small businesses, who, it is believed, will continue to “spearhead the UK’s recovery.”
Crowdfunding grows in popularity
A third of small businesses say that crowdfunding will be their most preferable funding option in the next year, according to survey by law firm, Irwin Mitchell.
They report showed alternative business funding is growing in popularity and acceptance, with 77% of businesses saying they would consider crowdfunding as an option. 73% are for P2P lending and 69% for angel investment.
Miliband gets behind self-employed ‘army’
Ed Miliband pledged to support the UK’s self-employed at the Manchester Labour conference towards the end of the month. He said:
“To the growing army of our self-employed, five million working people so often the most entrepreneurial, go-getting people in our country, they don’t want special treatment, but they do deserve a fair shot.
“Two thirds have no pension. Because of the jobs they do, one in five is stopped from getting a mortgage. It is time to end this modern, 21st century discrimination. The next Labour government will ensure there are equal rights for the self-employed.” 
Average Brit happy with wages but not happy with their jobs
British people are happy with their financial situation but unfulfilled in their jobs, a new global survey looking into people’s lives has shown.
51% said they were not “thriving” when it came to the purpose of their work, whereas 46% said their financial situation was “thriving”.
Dan Witters, who was a research director of the project suggesting the UK’s economic recovery may be to blame. He said: “As the country’s employment situation improved, it’s possible that many job seekers took the first available position they could get, without regard for whether the job was a good fit for their talents or long-term goals.”
Micro-businesses geared to change the face of British enterprise
The swelling number of micro-businesses in the UK looks set to change the way Britain does business, as more and more entrepreneurs strive to make money from their hobby, says new research from the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).
The number of people who are part-time self-employed increased by 10% since the beginning of 2014 and by 31% since 2000, signalling a rise in a new way of working.
If you're interested in finance news, why not check out 'Crunch Accounting' or some of our other financial roundups!
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The UK’s fastest-growing plant-based meat brand, THIS™ set to launch Seedrs campaign to support further innovation, bold marketing and international expansion.
CropSafe, a platform revolutionizing the future of farming, announce that they have raised over $3M in seed funding and have opened U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.
Voicy, the online content platform for discovering, creating and sharing sound-clips and sound-effects secures investment to support team expansion and global growth.
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Career Masterclass has launched a new website to showcase its offerings, as a strategic partner for businesses wanting to bolster D&I policies.
NI Startup? Fancy showcasing your startup at this year's Digital DNA event? We've got up to 10 spaces for NI startups to do just that. Here's the details!
Germany's leading digital solar platform, Zolar secures major investment to support roll out of new digital energy products.
Metro Bank seeks startups and scaleups with a focus on customer experience, community banking, optimisation of systems & data and sustainability for its second innovation lab.
Need a little extra motivation to get your daily step count up? Treekly will help you do your bit for the climate crisis with every step you take...
The lowdown on London-based SaaS startup Adadot and its innovative performance and wellbeing tracking platform for developers.
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Henrik Grim, European GM of Capchase shares insights on how founders can navigate these more challenging funding conditions.
Published on: 29th September 2014
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