New key alliance will help aspirational businesses through the critical phases of growth
Elevator, the social enterprise dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs, start-ups and high growth businesses, has joined forces with professional services firm KPMG to create a ‘key alliance’ aimed at assisting and developing the Scottish economy.
The collaboration will see Elevator and KPMG share their insight and experience of working with growing, aspirational businesses, providing invaluable advice to them throughout the critical phases of growth.
KPMG will offer substantial in-kind support to founders, in particular, those involved with Elevator’s Accelerator Programme, which is for ambitious early-stage business owners and teams seeking to improve their business offering, growth and investment potential at an accelerated rate.
Elevator Deputy Chief Executive Graham Morgan said the key alliance is the first in what Elevator believes will ultimately be a grouping of world-class organisations set on assisting and developing the Scottish economy.
“The relationship with KPMG was forged following the opening of Elevator’s £1million Centre for Entrepreneurship in Aberdeen 18 months ago,” he said.
“It was very clear from the outset that both Elevator and KPMG have a lot in common in that we both share a very keen interest in helping businesses and start-ups in a region which is increasingly showing itself to be entrepreneurial and innovative.
“Elevator, and most importantly the entrepreneurs and start-ups with which we work on our Accelerator Programme, will benefit hugely from this new relationship, by tapping into the international network and expertise of one of the most successful global accountancy firms. KPMG will bring its ‘long-reach’ to the table, offering our new businesses in the North-east unrivalled access to its global perspective on business start-up. KPMG, meanwhile, will gain from its association with a strong emerging Scottish brand in the field of entrepreneurial support.”
Moray Barber, Partner at KPMG, described the opportunity to meet and work with inspirational entrepreneurs and companies at this important stage of their life-cycle as thrilling, not just for the partners and directors at KPMG but also for its own next generation of talent.
“It was clear from the outset that the cultures and values of KPMG and Elevator were aligned and that working together we could create a valuable offering to the entrepreneurs coming through Elevator’s Accelerator Programme,” he said.
“At KPMG, we are truly focussed on businesses with growth potential, whether that be companies at a start-up stage or looking to grow their business internationally or through diversification and innovation. Personally, I am also very interested in the longer term prosperity of the region and want to play my part in securing a bright future for the North-east.
“We will be sharing our insight and experience of working with growing, aspirational businesses and providing business advice to them through the critical phases of growth. KPMG has a significant network of clients and contacts locally and by making connections at the right time can add value for the entrepreneurs.
“The Accelerator Programme provides a much-needed support network and structure to growing businesses - the world of the entrepreneur can be a lonely place at times and so it is important to have the team at Elevator and KPMG on hand to turn to for support, for constructive challenge when required and for innovative thinking to solve complex business challenges.”
Latest figures released by Business Gateway Aberdeen City and The Shire show that in the past 12 months, Elevator has helped 1,276 people to start their business through Business Gateway services, 27% more than the 1,000 target set for the area. As a result, the number of new business starts-ups in Grampian and Tayside has risen to its highest on record, breaking all targets and out-performing other regions in the rest of Scotland.
Of those, 555 (43%) were in Aberdeen city, while 721 (57%) were started in the Shire. The figures show that more than half of those starting a new business (51%) were women while almost 6% were started by people who had been made redundant from the oil and gas industry.
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