https://thebigideas.org.uk/ Big ideas for a better Britain en Sun, 08 Nov 2026 14:19:42 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/slow-money-local-bets-community-foundations-patient-startup-capital/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/slow-money-local-bets-community-foundations-patient-startup-capital/ Community foundations hold long-lived endowments and deep local knowledge. A small, ring-fenced slice of that money could become patient backing for nearby founders — if governance, risk and mission are handled with care. The Big Ideas Social Enterprise Sun, 08 Nov 2026 12:22:14 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/boardroom-lending-library-non-exec-support-small-business/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/boardroom-lending-library-non-exec-support-small-business/ Plenty of retired directors have hard-won judgment to share; plenty of small firms could never afford a non-exec. A national lending library for boardroom experience could bridge that gap — with the right safeguards. The Big Ideas Opinion Sun, 08 Nov 2026 12:22:14 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/friday-changed-high-street-place-wide-four-day-week-pilots/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/friday-changed-high-street-place-wide-four-day-week-pilots/ Most four-day-week trials happen inside one company. A coordinated town-wide pilot would put councils, SMEs, charities and high-street traders in the same experiment, testing whether shorter working time can boost footfall, wellbeing and local recruitment. It is messier than a corporate trial, but that may be exactly why it is worth trying. The Big Ideas Social Enterprise Sun, 08 Nov 2026 08:21:40 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/local-fund-in-your-pension-back-community-businesses/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/local-fund-in-your-pension-back-community-businesses/ Auto-enrolment pensions and local government pension pots hold enormous long-term capital. With the right guardrails, a slice of that money could become patient, place-based investment in social enterprises and community businesses, without gambling with anyone’s retirement. The case is stronger than the sceptics suggest, but only if mission drift is taken seriously. The Big Ideas Opinion Sun, 08 Nov 2026 08:21:40 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/mend-it-like-britain-repair-enterprise-2026/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/mend-it-like-britain-repair-enterprise-2026/ Repair has spent a decade as Britain's favourite volunteer hobby. The next stage is harder and more interesting: turning it into paid work, steady contracts and local supply chains. We look at what's actually holding fixers back — and what would let them scale. The Big Ideas Social Enterprise Sun, 08 Nov 2026 04:23:47 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/give-the-neighbours-a-slice-community-shares-opinion/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/give-the-neighbours-a-slice-community-shares-opinion/ Most UK founders raise money from people who will never walk past their front door. A small, deliberate community share allocation would buy patience, loyalty and something venture capital can't supply: a place that actually cares whether you survive. The Big Ideas Opinion Sun, 08 Nov 2026 04:23:47 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/the-high-street-test-kitchen-how-empty-shops-could-become-britains-cheapest-launchpads/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/the-high-street-test-kitchen-how-empty-shops-could-become-britains-cheapest-launchpads/ Vacant shops are too often treated as a symptom of decline. With the right leases, light-touch planning and council backing, they could become low-cost labs where local founders and social enterprises test what works. The Big Ideas Social Enterprise Sun, 08 Nov 2026 00:23:30 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/beyond-the-unicorn-why-britains-next-founders-are-building-businesses-that-last/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/beyond-the-unicorn-why-britains-next-founders-are-building-businesses-that-last/ A quieter idea of success is taking root in the UK startup scene. Instead of chasing hyper-growth at all costs, a new generation of founders is building profitable, resilient companies with purpose baked in. It is time investors and policymakers caught up. The Big Ideas Opinion Sun, 08 Nov 2026 00:23:30 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/picking-winners-national-idea-lottery-social-entrepreneurs/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/picking-winners-national-idea-lottery-social-entrepreneurs/ Most social enterprise funding flows to people already in the network. A civic lottery — 1,000 randomly selected Britons, £10,000 each, plus mentorship — would be a cheap experiment in democratising innovation. The Big Ideas Opinion Sat, 07 Nov 2026 20:23:42 GMT https://thebigideas.org.uk/anchors-aweigh-uk-institutions-buying-power-local-business/ https://thebigideas.org.uk/anchors-aweigh-uk-institutions-buying-power-local-business/ NHS trusts, universities and councils are waking up to their role as economic anchors. From Birmingham to Glasgow, procurement and property are being reimagined as tools for seeding locally owned social enterprises — but policy still lags behind the pilots. The Big Ideas Social Enterprise Sat, 07 Nov 2026 20:23:42 GMT