I was asked to give a lecture at Strathclyde University about Scaleups, why they were important, what the role of universities could be in relation to them (with examples of best practice).

1. The ScaleUp Challenge
Sherry Coutu, Chair, ScaleUp Institute
www.scaleupinstitute.org.uk/
19th April, Strathclyde Business School

2. “The Scaleup Challenge”
“The benefits of scale ups”
“The role universities can play”
“The role of place”

3. Audience Check
POLICY
FINANCE
CULTURE
SUPPORTS
HUMAN
CAPITAL
MARKETS
ENTREPRENEURS

4. #scaleup

5. BACKGROUND
The Department of Business Innovation &
Skills commissioned The Scaleup Report
in 2014. It was compiled through detailed
research, analysis and interviews
undertaken with leading industry sectors,
academics, business leaders,
entrepreneurs and policy makers.
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

6. OECD DEFINITION of a SCALEUP BUSINESS:
A ‘scaleup’ is an enterprise with average annual growth
in employees or turnover greater than 20 per cent per
annum over a three year period, and with more than 10
employees at the beginning of the period.
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

7. “The Scaleup Challenge”
“The benefits of scale ups”
“The role universities can play”
“The role of place”

8. #scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk
We are doing very well on Start-ups...

9. #scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk
But we are doing less well at growing them

10. THERE IS A SCALE-UP GAP
▪ Many European economies, including UK
are as effective as US in creating new
businesses
▪ Not enough of them grow – displacing
older firms
▪ The UK has a lower share of large
businesses than the US
▪ Large firms with more than 250 employees
account for 0.5% of firms in the UK but
0.7% in the US
▪ This lack of ‘scale up’ means the economy
as a whole loses on productivity and
growth.
Nesta (2011). A Look at Business Growth and Contraction in
Europe
http://www.scaleupreport.com
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

11. Very Few Start-ups Survive and Grow
UK businesses that started in 1998 – 10 years later and
beyond
221,731
83,165
8,649
5,934
All businesses that started
with at least 1 employee
Businesses that survived in
2008
Survivors with 10+ employees in
2008
Survivors that achieved at
least 1 year of high growth
100%
37.5%
3.9%
2.7%
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

12. Turnover Growth (GBP) vs Growth Rate (%)

13. Turnover in the last year vs Turnover Growth (GBP)

14. “The Scaleup Challenge”
“The benefits of scale ups”
“The role universities can play”
“The role of place”
14

15. Scaleup businesses are the 'driving
force' of UK economy

16. “Competitive advantage doesn’t go to the nations
that focus on creating companies, it goes to
nations that focus on scaling companies.”
#scaleupTHE SCALE-UP REPORT ON UK ECONOMIC GROWTH Sherry Coutu CBE

17. #scaleupTHE SCALE-UP REPORT ON UK ECONOMIC GROWTH Sherry Coutu CBE

18. 225,000,000,000
#scaleupTHE SCALE-UP REPORT ON UK ECONOMIC GROWTH Sherry Coutu CBE

19. WHY SCALEUPS MATTER
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk
SCALEUPS ARE PRODUCTIVE
SCALEUPS ARE INNOVATIVE
SACLEUPS ARE INTERNATIONAL
SCALEUPS ARE UK WIDE
SCALEUPS ARE ACROSS ALL SECTORS
SCALEUPS CREATE GREAT JOBS

20. NATIONAL GROWTH ACROSS SECTORS
Food & Drink, Edinburgh
Information
Technology London
Staffing &
recruitment, London
Manufacturing,
Cambridge
Advertising Technology,
London
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

21. #scaleup @scaleup scaleupinstitute.org.uk

22. Key factors for a successful
ScaleUp ecosystem
#scaleup scaleupinstitute.org.uk22

23. SCALEUPS AT A NATIONAL AND
LOCAL LEVEL
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

24. IN 2014 THE REPORT IDENTIFIED
6 MAIN GAPS TO FOCUS ON:
The Evidence Gap
public and private sector organisations identify, target
and evaluate their support to scale-up companies
The Skills Gap
improve the ecosystem so scale-ups can find employees
with the skills they need
The Leadership Capacity Gap
building their leadership capability
The Finance Gap
accessing the right combination of finance
The Infrastructure Gap
navigating infrastructure
The Markets Gap
accessing customers in other markets/ home market
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

25. Key factors for a successful
ScaleUp ecosystem
#scaleup scaleupinstitute.org.uk25

26. “The Scaleup Challenge”
“The benefits of scale ups”
“The role universities can play”
“The role of place”
26

27. |THE SCALE-UP REPORT ON UK ECONOMIC GROWTH Sherry Coutu CBE
THE SKILLS GAP IS SET TO GET LARGER….
#scaleup
OF 163 SCALE-UPS AGREE

28. Workfinder.com
We know how important closing
the attainment gap is to our long-
term economic prosperity, so it’s
fantastic that apps like Workfinder
give businesses a new and
innovative way to connect with
students all across the UK
Well done for coming up with such
a pioneering idea”.
Paul Drechsler, CBI President

29. 82%
“I would be able to grow my
company faster if applicants had
the skills needed to meet my
customer demand”

30. “Our members regularly tell us that
they struggle to find young adults
who are properly equipped for the
workplace”
“today’s launch of Workfinder
marks a huge step forward in
tackling this issue. Not only does it
provide young people with great
opportunities, it does so in the
digital space – the natural domain
of those who will excel in the high-
tech, high-skilled workplaces of the
future.”
Mike Cherry
Federation of Small Businesses

31. 82%
“I would be able to grow my
company faster if applicants had
the skills needed to meet my
customer demand”

32. “I would be able to grow my
company faster if applicants had
the skills needed to meet my
customer demand”

33. #scaleup @scaleupinst
scaleupinstitute.org.uk
University Case Studies:

34. “The role universities can play”

35. “The role universities can play”

37. Scaleup
Industry
Leaders

38. 90% !

39. 6
Internships
per student
Scaleup
businesses

40. “The role universities can play”

43. “The role universities can play”

45. “The role universities can play”

48. Workfinder.com
“The speakers told us stories
about students of our age
who had created businesses
and so I thought if they can
do it, I could too.
Maitri Panchal

49. Workfinder.com
“Our members regularly tell us that
they struggle to find young adults
who are properly equipped for the
workplace”
“today’s launch of Workfinder
marks a huge step forward in
tackling this issue. Not only does it
provide young people with great
opportunities, it does so in the
digital space – the natural domain
of those who will excel in the high-
tech, high-skilled workplaces of the
future.”
Mike Cherry
Federation of Small Businesses

50. The role Strathclyde Business School could play?

51. ● Continue
Growth
Advantage
Programme

55. Workfinder.com
Workfinder
Get experience at
Britain’s best companies
in a few taps.

56. Continue
Growth
Advantage
Programme
6 internships each?
120 Student Clubs?
Workfinder

57. STRATHCLYDE BUSINESS SCHOOL be a better scaleup citizen?
● Continue Growth Advantage Programme
● Open up research facilities to scaleups (Infrastructure)
● Convene scaleup ‘peer to peer’ roundtables
● Make it easier for your students to engage with the scaleup business
population
● Appoint a ScaleUp Champion
#scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk

58. “The Scaleup Challenge”
“The benefits of scale ups”
“The role universities can play”
“The role of place”
58

59. #scaleup @scaleup scaleupinstitute.org.uk
SCALEUPS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL
IN 2013: THIS WAS THE
NUMBER OF SCALEUPS IN
THE UK
IN 2014, THAT NUMBER
INCREASED
IN 2015, THE
AMOUNT GREW
FURTHER
9,979
10,754
11,575

60. #scaleup @scaleup scaleupinstitute.org.uk
SCOTLAND: North East Scotland is performing well against the rest of the UK
but there is room for improvement in other parts of Scotland where the trend is below
average . ONS, 2015

61. #scaleup @scaleupinst scaleupinstitute.org.uk
SCALEUPS AT A LOCAL LEVEL : SCOTLAND

64. THANK YOU
Get in touch:
@scoutu