Software Industry Calls for More UK Government Support (reuters.com)
(Wednesday March 27, 2024 @06:00AM (msmash)
from the need-of-the-hour dept.)
- Reference: 0173393733
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/03/27/0959255/software-industry-calls-for-more-uk-government-support
- Source link: https://www.reuters.com/technology/software-industry-calls-more-uk-government-support-2024-03-27/
Britain's government has been urged to [1]provide more support for the software industry with measures including tax incentives and talent visas. From a report:
> More than 120 industry leaders have called for government intervention to improve conditions for European software companies. Europe has long struggled to scale up homegrown tech companies as successfully as the U.S., with many startups forced to seek investment abroad as they scale up.
>
> A new policy document -- published by industry body Boardwave and seen by Reuters -- highlights what it calls Europe's "dreadful" track record of scaling software companies, with one recent study showing only one software-focused firm, Sage, counted among Britain's top 100 publicly-traded businesses, compared to dozens in the U.S. Phill Robinson, Boardwave founder and a former executive at software giant Salesfore, shared the report with Britain's technology minister Michele Donelan last week, warning that mid-sized software companies had received little government attention compared to Big Tech firms and buzzy venture-funded startups.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/software-industry-calls-more-uk-government-support-2024-03-27/
> More than 120 industry leaders have called for government intervention to improve conditions for European software companies. Europe has long struggled to scale up homegrown tech companies as successfully as the U.S., with many startups forced to seek investment abroad as they scale up.
>
> A new policy document -- published by industry body Boardwave and seen by Reuters -- highlights what it calls Europe's "dreadful" track record of scaling software companies, with one recent study showing only one software-focused firm, Sage, counted among Britain's top 100 publicly-traded businesses, compared to dozens in the U.S. Phill Robinson, Boardwave founder and a former executive at software giant Salesfore, shared the report with Britain's technology minister Michele Donelan last week, warning that mid-sized software companies had received little government attention compared to Big Tech firms and buzzy venture-funded startups.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/software-industry-calls-more-uk-government-support-2024-03-27/
Chronic under investment (Score:2)
by serviscope_minor ( 664417 )
The UK chronically lags on investment compared to OCED on the whole, both public and private sector, and we have an economy to match, i.e. in the shitter.
There are decades of structural and cultural issues here. Really the government needs to step up, but Sunak's useless and Starmer just wants to be a conservative so nothing much will change. Maybe if we keep not investing things will magically get better through the power of not spending money.
Do we need it, though? (Score:1)
by MerriWalker ( 10443860 )
Is there much to be gained from spinning up a bunch of services that ultimately just get bought up and cannibalised for parts and staff by larger businesses? Electrical engineering is probably where the greater societal benefit would be gained.
Talent visas but not in-house training (Score:1)
Love this thing about "talent visas". Bosses - We have to recruit from abroad because we can't find trained staff in the UK. Employees - Can we have some training then? Bosses - Sorry, we don't have a budget for that.
Re: (Score:1)
So very true. And even if there was a nominal budget, mysteriously there's no time available in any project plan for staff to take a course.
Always just "learn on the job whilst the system is in production" .