Insider Media Limited

The star of the Dragons’ Den online spin-off series says "Birmingham must support entrepreneurs". Julie Meyer made the call at the annual general meeting of Birmingham Future.

Meyer said: “Privately-backed social enterprise is a hot area where many entrepreneurs are flocking. Not only do they know what to do to fix social problems, they actually do it effectively and on less money.”

The businesswoman was speaking at the AGM of networking and lobbying organisation Birmingham Future, held at Birmingham’s Crowne Plaza hotel.

Meyer, who is founder and chief executive of Ariadne Capital in London, referred to The Fredericks Foundation, set up by IT entrepreneur Paul Barry-Walsh. The foundation, which has supported more than 600 projects with grants of around £3,000, helps potential entrepreneurs who cannot obtain the necessary funding.

She said: “The Fredericks Foundation saves the UK government millions because it moves individuals from being a cost to society – drugs, crime, disability, life choices – to taxable micro-entrepreneurship and correlating income to the government’s coffers.

“Each of the Fredericks entrepreneurs – by their example in their families and neighbourhoods – sets about transforming lives.”

Incoming chair of Birmingham Future, Darren Walker, also set out the organisation’s agenda for the coming year at the event.

Walker, an associate of Cobbetts law firm, said: “Within the Birmingham Future membership, we have a host of skills and knowledge which, if directed towards Birmingham’s entrepreneurs and start-up businesses, will contribute to the overall economic growth of our city – supporting the employers of tomorrow, helping to drive the economy out of recession and developing a source of continued business for Birmingham’s quality professional advisers.”