Backing Asian business
A NATIONAL network designed to support Asian-founded businesses to scale up and innovate has been launched in Leicester.
The Asian Founders Community Meet will see hundreds of businesses attend events run in partnership by Barclays Eagle Labs and De Montfort University.
A launch event was held at Winstanley House, in Braunstone, this week.
The Asian Founders Community Meet was devised by Eagle Labs ecosystem manager Poonam Sharma and Nimesh Kanani, city leader for Barclays Leicester, to offer targeted support and networking opportunities for businesses owned by or founded by Asian entrepreneurs.
Poonam said: “I’m extremely proud to launch the Asian Founders Community Meet with Nimesh in Leicester before heading to eight other cities across the UK.
“Supporting and empowering Asian entrepreneurs is vitally important and for Barclays Eagle Labs to launch the initiative here in Leicester, a city which boasts so many successful Asian businesses, is very exciting indeed.”
Helen Donnellan, director of research business and innovation, said the university was proud to be a partner of the Asian Founders programme.
She said: “We believe that diversity inspires innovation.
“Different approaches are taken, different ideas shared and exciting things happen when you empower people to succeed.
“That is why Asian Founders Community Meet is so important in showcasing and connecting founders and creating opportunity for everyone.”
Taruna Mistry, of CIC Leicester Community Links, said: “Events like this are really important.
“Hearing other people’s stories gives you ideas and I have already made connections tonight that will help my business.”
Keynote speaker Anuj Ashar, a 22-year-old entrepreneur, said: “I am such a supporter of Asian Founders programme and to hear events will be held around the country is brilliant.
“It’s so important to come together as a community and supporting each other through sharing our expertise or our contacts or skills.”