As of April 18, the tracker shows that 150,240 start-up businesses have been born in the UK, providing unique   insight into the growing self-starter trend. With only a third of the year gone, if the figures correlate over the remainder of the year the country should welcome more new firms than throughout the course of 2012.

Figures from the tracker show 424,161 start-ups were born in 2012 and the nation is on course for around 450,000 this year.

The tracker, created using data from Companies House and interpreted by the Made Simple Group, indicates there is growing optimism for the start-up sector.

Howard Graham, founder of the Made Simple Group, said: “These stats are very telling about the optimism and momentum within the start-up sector.

“The Startup Tracker makes this visible for all to see and plot the highs and lows as well as potentially making it possible for us to discover what makes certain days more attractive for setting up a business.”

Since the turn of the Millennium the number of SMEs in the UK increased from 3.5 million to 4.8 million in 2012 – a 38.7 per cent growth of the sector.

Tech start-ups in particular are certainly at the forefront of growth in the SME sector, particularly in the capital. It is estimated there are 3,000 tech companies in East London alone, employing upwards of 50,000 people.

That figure alone generates significant demand for office space in the London area. Workspace is one of London’s largest suppliers of commercial property and is increasingly providing SMEs with the space and facilities needed to grow.

Many office space providers are also now offering the flexibility of premises on a short term let, for as little as one month. In the current economic climate this can be a godsend for businesses wishing to expand without tying themselves down financially in the long term.

Astons Apartments

There is a prestige package for many events including:

•    Opening and Closing Ceremonies
•    Athletics, Basketball Preliminaries, Track Cycling, Diving, Handball, Hockey, Swimming, Water Polo Basketball Finals, Beach Volleyball, Canoe Sprint, Equestrian, Gymnastics, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Tennis

In each of the packages you will receive:

•    Exceptional service
•    Fine dining
•    The best category seats for each event
•    Exclusive hospitality in the Olympic venues

There truly is no better way to see the Olympic events and watch as talented athlete’s race, swim, cycle and row for the gold medal. Some packages do combine accommodation with the tickets, but if you are still searching for the ideal place to stay during the Olympic Games, we here at Business News Wire have selected some of London’s best shirt term let apartments.

Booking apartments is a cost effective way for the business traveller to stay in London as it allows for a group to stay in one place for one price. Not only will you be provided with an affordable price, but also the comfortable surroundings of an apartment, rather than that of a single room. Fully fitted kitchens, living areas and multiple rooms are provided allowing visitors to cook their own meals if wanted and relax in the comforts of home away from home.

Refresh Accommodation supply a vast range of short stay apartments for all London visitors with their dedicated corporate range of accommodation found at Refresh Corporate.

Our recommended apartments for the corporate visitor for the London Olympic Games include:

Astons Apartments•    Astons Apartments, South Kensington

Situated in the quiet residential area of Kensington and Chelsea, Astons Apartments provides an excellent location for great transport links. This is a great location to stay if you wish to remove yourself from the hustle and bustle of the Olympics during the evenings.

•     Stratford Bellhaven, Docklands

The attractively priced Stratford Bellhaven apartments have been developed especially to meet the demand for quality accommodation close to the Olympic Stadium.

•    43-45 Gower Street, Bloomsbury

A range of one, two, three and four bedroom apartments are offered at 43-45 Gower Street, situated within walking distance of many transportation links including Euston, Russell Square and Holborn.

With all this information you’re sure to make your stay in London during the Olympics an unforgettable experience.

Innovation is certainly the name of the game and one that will potentially promote business growth in Ireland.

The new directory for innovation supports and services has been launched by John Perry, T.D., Minister of Small Businesses. Speaking at the launch the Minister said: “There are some 200,000 companies in Ireland employing less than 50 people. They might be small in size but together they contribute over €10 billion to the Exchequer annually and employ over 650,000 people. Despite the challenges they face, SMEs are playing a vital role in the recovery and sustained growth of Ireland’s economy and we must ensure we continue to provide them with support. Therefore, I am delighted to be associated with the launch of such a valuable resource for the SME sector and I congratulate the Enterprise Europe Network and their partners for the work they have put in to the development of the Info2Innovate directory.”

The Enterprise Europe Network – Ireland is an amalgamation of business organisations that provide Irish SMEs business support and advice on European funding opportunities and legislation.

For Further Information: Minister Perry Launches SME Support Directory

However, on the other side of the spectrum retail, tourism, hospitality and construction have been struggling with no signs of employment or turnover growth showing.

Nearly 2,000 businesses across the GBSLEP area took part in the survey between December 2011 and March 2012 and has shown that overall business confidence is returning to Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull’s SMEs.

Neil Rami, chief executive of Marketing Birmingham, said: “Our findings indicate that the local business community could be looking more confidently to the future and are ready to explore opportunities to develop their operations.

“SMEs in some of the region’s strongest sectors benefit greatly from the supply chains of the major companies that have invested here.

“Jaguar Land Rover is but one example of a global investor that has brought local business significant growth opportunities.”

Other areas that the survey touched upon is the growth of the area’s SMEs over the last 12 months and the expectations for future growth.

• More than half of the surveyed SMEs have experienced growth in the last three years
• Two thirds have maintained or increased their business’ turnover – 40% in the last 12 months
• 23% experienced a decrease in turnover
• More than a fifth are considered to be experiencing ‘high growth’

Although the outlook may seem positive, there are many challenges that these SMEs face regarding the access to finance and opportunities required to continue growing.

Chris Loughran, senior partner at Deloitte Midlands, said: “SMEs across the GBSLEP and Black Country area are fighting hard to grow and boost employment, but are still restricted by a lack of available finance.

“As credit remains difficult to access, it is crucial for these businesses to watch their costs closely to maintain the right level of working capital and identify the areas where investing that money will make a real difference to driving product demand – be it research and development, training the sales team or promoting the business to new customers.

“Investing can often ease the road to growth.”

For Further reading: Manufacturers lead growth among West Midlands small firms

According to Chant there were originally a lot of restrictions that often made it difficult to “talk between government departments about one organisation's contracts with another".  However, there are still many concerns over the government outsourcing "all sorts of things which we should never have", including public sector organisations outsourcing work to produce IT strategies that have left the government "completely inflexible". 

Chant, who will be handing over his G-Cloud responsibilities to Denise McDonagh this week, has advised on countless occasions that G-Cloud can provide SMEs with a simplified route to procurement.

G-Cloud is a procurement initiative that is ‘SME friendly’ and has created an online store where public sector bodies can source and buy thousand of services from a vast range of suppliers.

The programme could offer SMEs a welcoming alternative to Chant stating it to be the "easiest and cheapest route into procurement if you are a smaller company". 

Since its inception in February 30 organisations have made purchases from the programme, with purchases valuing from anything between a few hundred pounds up to more than £1 million.

In May, when the second, more user-friendly version of CloudStore launches, users will be able to comment on services included in the catalogue.

For Further Reading: UK Governance: Call for Whitehall to simplify the landscape for SME suppliers to win more government contracts

• 42% expect to continue running their business for longer than first thought
• 7% foresee the closing or selling of their business earlier than expected
• Of those who expect to shut their business down, 59% experienced a fall in turnover over the past year

This is just one of the effects the economic downturn has had on British SMEs. However, despite the doom and gloom an astonishing amount of those surveyed have a positive outlook when it comes to retiring at a reasonable age:

• 47% expect to retire by the age of 65
• 18% expect to retire between 66 and 70 years old
• 11% predict that they will continue to run their company beyond the age of 70

So what is the reason behind this uncertainty? Pensions

The economic climate has not only had a knock on effect when it comes to turnovers and profitability, but also the lack of lucrative pensions. The survey revealed that 28% expect to struggle through their retirement. However, this statistic changes depending on the size of business run.

Of those who run a small business, 35% believe they will come up against financial hurdles, whilst 20% of those who run a medium sized business expect the same outcome.

More worryingly for these SMEs is the lack of insurance should one fall ill or be injured:

• 16% said they would have to close their business if they were unable to work due to illness or injury, which then shoot up to 48% among those who work independently
• 53% responded saying that they have not taken up any insurance that would protect them against illness or injury
• 44% felt that they have reliable staff and fellow owners if the circumstance arose

Professor Rebecca Taylor, Dean of The Open University Business School said: “The economic downturn has created a number of serious challenges for Britain’s SME owners. Our latest survey findings suggest that many owners, particularly those with smaller businesses, are having to make significant changes as they plan for retirement and succession. While some owners may never have intended to give up the business, many now expect to work for much longer than they had envisaged.”

Sue Hayes, Barclays business banking, said: “It is never too early for business owners to start planning their retirement. These research figures show that, especially in the current economic environment, the need for retirement planning advice is even greater, particularly for those who are nearing or beyond retirement age. Our business relationship managers are available to provide support and advice to older entrepreneurs so that their businesses can continue to thrive when the time comes to hand over the reins.”

For Further Reading: SME owners facing retirement struggle

The Secretary of State For Energy & Climate Change, ED Davey MP has announced that there will be support given to SMEs wanting to implement low carbon strategies in the future, “Part of the way that we're going to tackle climate change and get clean energy is through innovation, particularly with SMEs. We're allocating a fund of £35 million, which will help innovators and entrepreneurs develop and demonstrate low carbon technologies.

“The first wave is going to be in energy efficiency in buildings, things like advanced lighting, heat pumps, ventilation technologies and so on. This is a practical way that we can make sure we get to the low carbon economy.”

The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund’s budget of up to £35million over a span of three years will provide financial support to SMEs that want assistance when it comes to the development and demonstration of their ideas. An additional £1million can be funded from the government to support any other funding from the private sector.

The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) will also be advised by a selection of investors as to which SMEs will be able to benefit from additional support in regards to presenting their products to the market. The DECC’s £35 million Buildings Innovation Programme has been divided up with £20 million potentially funding energy efficiency technologies, whilst the remaining £15 million will be used at a later stage to expand the call into power generation.

Details of the application process for part of the £20 million funding will be available by the summer.

For Further Reading: DECC Announces Support For Low Carbon SMEs

To shed some light on what is deemed to be a breach; failing to change passwords frequently, leaving computers unattended and opening malicious links or attachments are considered to be behaviours that can lead to breaches.

The survey found that 69% of staff very frequently or occasionally carry mobile devices that hold sensitive information, which in turn puts company data at great risk if the device is lost or stolen. It was also found that 72% of employees do not allocate any time on data protection activities.

However, it is not just the employees who are at fault, many businesses have said that they are aware of the lack of adequate safeguards used during the working day to protect data.

•    62% revealed they had inadequate security measures
•    65%believe technology is too expensive
•    54% say it is too complex

Dr Larry Ponemon, the chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute, said: "Data-centric security technology, education and awareness among employees are essential [for an effective security system]."

For Further Reading: Risky SME staff 'causing data breaches'

It has been reported by The Guardian that the new measures supplied by the government includes the “introduction of an SME champion in every department, the disaggregation of larger contracts and private sector companies being added to the Contract Finder website, which details upcoming government opportunities.”

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude commented: "It can't just be central government that takes this agenda seriously. The whole public sector should follow our lead... so I'm very pleased the local government association will be taking steps to remind local authority that they should be doing all they can to reduce the burden on small businesses including putting projects in the pipeline on Contracts Finder."

The prime minister's enterprise adviser, Lord Young has also stressed his concern regarding the overcomplicated PQQs (pre-qualification questionnaires) that suppliers must complete to bid for government work, which can be seen as barricading SMEs from winning public sector business. Commenting on the issue Lord Young said: "My concern is with local government. Local government at the moment is impossible. Many [local authorities] are good, but the vast majority insist upon PQQs of varying complexity," he said, citing the example of one PQQ that required suppliers to commit to promoting good relationships between people of different backgrounds, keeping individuals free from poverty, ignorance and conformity, and empowering them to make a positive contribution.

"It's motherhood and apple pie stuff. Why should companies have to do this for a simple commercial relationship?" 

The adviser added that he has acquired the expertise of Eric Pickles, communities and local government secretary to research into the possibilities of abolishing the PQQs for contracts under £100,000. Young continued: "A number of authorities [have got rid of such PQQs], but if all do that, it would open up the market in a very big way."

In place of the PQQs, Young has suggested that references and other similar documents should be adequate when placing a bid to potentially win public sector business, saying: "We should streamline the procedure for over £100,000 and for under £100,000 I cannot for the life of me understand why at most a simple letter or reference from other local agency you've done with business with successfully shouldn't be sufficient."

The Cabinet Office are expecting to see the amount the of public sector spending to SMEs  reach 14% - double the amount spent during 2011.

For Further Reading: How to make local government embrace SMEs? Cut the bureaucracy

An FSB survey, which was released prior to a government review of lending, showed that accessing finance remains a “major barrier” to the growth of one in five SMEs, with the survey reporting 41% of loan applicants were refused in the three months leading to February.

However, despite finances being hard to come by, confidence has sky rocketed from a dismal -24.5 (recorded three months ago) to a positive 22.2. According to the FSB survey a third of companies are seeking to increase their capital investment plans. However, with finance proving to be difficult to obtain, could these plans come to a standstill?

Graeme Fisher, head of policy at the FSB commented: “The problem is not so much the price of money but the access to it. Our existing banking system is not geared up for lower-end loans of less than £25,000, there’s no money in it.”

The figures were released ahead of Tim Breedon, chief executive of Legal & General, report on alternative methods of financing, such as peer-to-peer lending and an SME bond market.

It has been said by Vince Cable, the business secretary that the economic recovery is being stunted by the turmoil relationship between small businesses and banks. The business secretary has stated that the “yawning mismatch” between small businesses’ financial demands and bank lending is causing an imperil economic recovery.

Due to SMEs wishing to expand their business, yet receiving little support from the financial sector, lobbyists are now seeking overseas options. Fisher commented: “In Germany you have these small banks with far lower rates of return, which are boring in the nicest possible way. And in the United States, there is a very diverse banking sector which distributes government-backed loans.”

Last year, it was reported that new lending to businesses rose 4% by the association of German savings banks.

Prospects to grow and expand an existing business is positive in the US as the Small Business Administration distributes funds through financial intermediaries and acts as an advocate for entrepreneurs. This is a model the FSB is persistently lobbying parliament to follow.

For Further Reading: Poor access to cash limits SME growth