Large numbers of young people are hoping to set up their own business when they leave education, according to a new poll released by Dell and StartUp Britain. 63% of students who took part in the survey said that they wanted to start their own business after leaving college or university.
The main reasons for setting up their own business were cited as “more freedom” (29%) and the desire to be their own boss (29%). However, 32% of respondents highlighted finance as a potential barrier to getting started.
The survey was conducted as part of the 2012 StartUp Britain bus tour, of which Dell is a founding sponsor, designed to inspire and support young people who are interested in starting their own business. It was conducted with 380 students aged 15–24 across Britain between October and November 2012. The main findings were:
- 63% want to start a business
- 25% are hoping to work/start a business in the technology industry
- 84% would consider applying for a start-up loan
- 32% saw funding and 22% experience as barriers to starting a business
Sarah Shields, UK & Ireland general manager and executive director, Dell Consumer and Small Business, said: “It is refreshing to see so many of Britain’s youth interested in starting their own company and it is important that we do everything we can to support them on this journey. These students will be the business leaders of tomorrow and play an important role in the future of the global economy.”
StartUp Britain co-founder, Emma Jones, said: “It’s no surprise to us that the younger generation are looking to entrepreneurship as a career path. Their innate understanding of technology and the fresh opportunity that exists out there right now means they are perfectly placed to start up a business and work for themselves.”
At Milsted Langdon, our dedicated ML Enterprise service can help entrepreneurs get their business ideas off the ground and support them through those crucial early years of their business’s life cycle. For further information, please contact us.