Small businesses 'looking to innovate'

Date: 30th July 2010

Start-ups and small firms are focusing on innovation during the current economic climate, it has been claimed.

Darren Hopper, head of marketing for small businesses at Orange, said that many individuals are becoming entrepreneurs and are setting up their own firms.

"What we're seeing is more start-ups at this time as people are coming out of other organisations for different reasons," he noted.

Mr Hopper added that small firms already in existence are making sure they focus on new business ideas they have not considered previously.

This is despite the fact that difficult financial conditions continue in the wider economy, he observed.

"Although it is a challenging time, we are seeing lots more smaller businesses looking to innovate and set up for themselves something that they may not have thought about previously," Mr Hopper concluded.

Earlier this month, a report from insurance firm Hiscox revealed that a third of graduates plan to set up their own business due to problems in the jobs market.

Posted by Emily Smith