As businesses expand and develop, their growing financial and reputational influence allows them to do things that they may have never dreamed of in their earliest days. However, this growth can also be accompanied by challenges, with businesses playing it safe rather than embracing the innovation that provided them with success in the first place – essentially, they forget where they’ve come from.
[easy-tweet tweet=”At @Dell we believe fostering a #startup spirit is important no matter how large and successful your business is”]
That’s why, here at Dell, we believe that fostering a startup spirit is important no matter how large and successful your business is. Startups are characterised by risk-taking, agility, hard work and a culture of inclusivity – all of which could benefit established firms just as much as the new kids on the block.
One of the ways that we try to keep that startup culture alive at Dell is by working with creative, new businesses on a daily basis. Our Dell for Entrepreneurs programme aims to give emerging businesses the resources, expertise and solutions they need to get to market faster. Whether a business need advice on pitching, IT solutions or anything else for that matter, we’re happy to help in any way we can, because we realise that this a two-way process. Dell for Entrepreneurs also puts us in contact with innovative thinkers and inspiring entrepreneurs – the kind of people that help keep the startup spirit thriving at Dell.
Our Dell for Entrepreneurs programme aims to give emerging businesses the resources, expertise and solutions they need to get to market faster
It’s also vital to remember the important role played by startups in the wider economy. Although not all of them would have been successful, a staggering 608,110 startups were launched in the UK alone last year. These businesses provide jobs and services to countless individuals across all sectors of the economy. Of course, the startups that do develop into household names may have an even bigger impact. Facebook is a startup, Twitter is a startup and, in fact, Dell is a startup – even the most successful multi-national companies had to start somewhere – and likely needed help to do so. When startups are given the opportunities to succeed, the wider economy also benefits, including more established industry players.
The Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network supports the crucial role that women play in driving global economic growth
Taking an active involvement in entrepreneurial and startup programmes can also have wider social benefits. Establishing partnerships in less developed countries has already shown itself to have positive impacts at tackling poverty. Startups like UpEnergy and WeFarm, in Uganda and Kenya respectively, are using entrepreneurialism to overcome genuine local problems. Similarly, our own Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network is focused on supporting the crucial role that women play in driving global economic growth. By connecting female entrepreneurs with the right networks, sources of capital, knowledge and technology, we’re putting equality and diversity front and centre of the startup ecosystem.
[easy-tweet tweet=”Larger firms would also do well to embrace the #startup traits of innovation and risk” user=”comparethecloud”]
No matter how much you’ve grown as a business, don’t neglect the startup culture that helped you along the way. Innovation and risk taking are fast becoming known as traits relating to startups specifically, but larger firms would also do well to embrace them. Getting involved with the startup and entrepreneur community can not only help your own organisation to flourish, but it can also have other advantages. Embracing the startup spirit provides broader economic and social benefits that support innovation happening across the globe.
Sarah Shields, Executive Director and General Manager, Dell UK
With over 20 years