Reading Time: 4 minutesFor many SMEs, knowledge is power. Their business – and competitive edge – depends on their knowledge of markets and their product. Businesses can protect some of their most strategic insights through trade secrets.
Category: Entrepreneurship
From one crisis to another: what price for SMEs?
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe stock of outstanding SME loans grew at around 5% in 2020, a record high since 2007. Many weakened businesses were expecting respite as their troubles began to recede, but Russia’s war against Ukraine has sent a tidal wave through OECD countries and regions.
In the driving seat: How entrepreneurs can move us into the fast lane for the green transition
Reading Time: 3 minutesCountries across the world are now gearing up to face the most profound shared challenge in generations: climate change. The road to net zero will be paved with innovative green technologies – the bread and butter of the green entrepreneur. With the right policy support, these entrepreneurs can drive the green transition.
Is culture really good for you? Impacts on well-being
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe Covid-19 pandemic created a new normal of consuming culture from the couch. Policy makers must take advantage of the great re-opening to expand participation and create equitable access to culture. Where do they start to improve well-being?
Is financial diversification the key to SME resilience?
Reading Time: 3 minutesSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs were hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. To invest in growth and greening and play a full part in the recovery, we need to enable them to tap into alternative financial instruments.
Women mean business – how we can help them succeed
Reading Time: 4 minutesRecent research suggests that women-founded businesses perform better over time and deliver higher revenue – more than twice as much per dollar invested – than men-founded businesses. In addition, women-founded start-up teams create more jobs for women – they employ 2.5 times more women than all-male start-up teams.
Tackling growing pains – how scale-ups can lead the recovery
Reading Time: 3 minutes “scale up” account for the majority of new jobs in the economy. These firms can play a key role in the recovery. However, scaling up brings new challenges.
What can we learn about the circular economy from social entrepreneurs?
Reading Time: 5 minutesEvery year the city of Brussels imports over 60 000 tons of wood, when the wood could be sourced from the Sonian Forest just outside the city. Instead, most of the wood sourced from the forest is exported to Asia to be processed and sent back as finished products. The Sonian Wood Coop was launched in 2019 to change this dynamic.