LLOYDS TSB TO SPONSOR LIVERPOOL'S GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONGRESS

14.11.2011

LIVERPOOL Vision announces today (14.11.11) that it has secured Lloyds TSB as a headline partner for the highly prestigious 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Liverpool.

Lloyds TSB, part of the Lloyds Banking Group - which has supported 200,000 start-ups since January 2010 and lent £9.6bn to small and medium enterprises in the first nine months of 2011 - has agreed to be a Gold sponsor of an event, which is set to attract leading economists and entrepreneurs from more than 120 countries.

Liverpool is the first UK and European city to hold the influential event which is run by the US-based Kauffman Foundation. Previous host cities were Kansas City in 2009, Dubai in 2010 and Shanghai in 2011.

As part of its sponsorship package Lloyds TSB will provide a senior executive speaker on the opening day of The Congress. It will also run workshops throughout the week and hold an official event during the fringe Festival of Entrepreneurship.

Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, the city's economic development company, which led the application to bring GEC to Liverpool, said: "This is very welcome news as Liverpool takes the UK centre stage at the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

"Lloyds TSB is an organisation we looked to secure right from the start of this process not least because of its commitment to enterprise through, for example, its new Enterprise Awards, and its continuing support for start ups.

"Lloyds TSB has recognised that the GEC in Liverpool - the first time it has come to Europe - offers significant opportunities to contribute to the international debate on entrepreneurship.

 "I'm also delighted that Lloyds TSB has decided to become involved at a significant level in the Congress and the Festival of Entrepreneurship.

"Clearly, having one of the UK's big four high street banks supporting Liverpool in this way is a significant boost to our ambition to present a compelling GEC and Festival and demonstrates that the level of the city's renaissance has resonance well beyond Liverpool.

"We will shortly be announcing further sponsors similarly willing to back Liverpool's drive to be a capital of enterprise which provides the right conditions to make it easier for businesses to start up, to flourish, to invest and to create sustainable employment."

John Maltby, Group Director, Commercial, Lloyds Banking Group, said: "Small and medium-sized businesses are the drivers of innovation, the bedrock of employment and the glue in our communities. There are four and a half million small and medium-sized businesses across the UK and their success is critical to our chances of recovery and growth.

"The UK has a proud history of enterprise but we can learn from the rest of the world, through all those coming to Liverpool for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress. We are absolutely committed to providing the finance and broader support that is so vital to help businesses succeed. So far this year we have lent £9.6 billion to small and medium sized enterprises - and we have helped more that 200,000 start ups since the beginning of 2010.

"Our sponsorship of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress is another example of the critical importance we place on small business and our commitment to work in partnership with others to maximise their success."

The Congress will take place at the Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool from 12- 16 March 2012. During this time, delegates will:

• Hear from world leaders, economists and other experts regarding programs, policies and research aimed at advancing entrepreneurship.
• Brainstorm about building on successes, overcoming individual challenges, and strengthening collaborative efforts for the future.
• Gain valuable insight from successful and experienced entrepreneurs on the key elements of an environment that encourages entrepreneurial growth and is conducive to innovation.
• Receive guidance on various critical capacity-building skills, from building awareness to deepening and widening national campaigns by catalyzing and leveraging partnerships.
• Celebrate and showcase the successes of the Global Entrepreneurship Week campaigns and each of the national campaigns.

The GEC concludes with a gala dinner at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral.

The Festival of Entrepreneurship already boasts around 50 events including a start up weekend, a women's entrepreneurs day, Liverpool Software City International, Liverpool business fair, Eurocities event, the finals of Liverpool's Great Enterprise Challenge for Schools and Your Big Year 2011/12.

The announcement comes as the city prepares to host a large programme of enterprise events as part of this year's Global Entrepreneurship Week (14-21 November) including a major conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on November 14 and An Audience with internet entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox at the Contemporary Urban Centre on November 16.

For further details on the Global Entrepreneurship Congress and sponsorship opportunities visit www.gec2012.com   You can also follow GEC 2012 on Twitter @gec2012 and join the Facebook page www.facebook.com/gec2012