In a letter to the editor, Dr Simon Barnes says it is important that the government does not fall into the trap of confusing all acts of creativity with "entrepreneurship".

It starts with creativity but does not end there
By Simon Barnes
November 18 2005

Sir, I applaud the initiatives of Gordon Brown, the chancellor, in promoting enterprise and entrepreneurship in the UK ("Britain's future lies in entrepreneurial talent", November 14). Many of us in business education have long believed that the key to building a prosperous future for the UK is in developing the entrepreneurial skills of young people.

In particular, the entrepreneurship programmes we deliver across the science and technology faculties of Imperial College London are based on the strong belief that it is technology entrepreneurship that holds the key to future success.

It is important, however, that in developing such initiatives on a national level, the government does not fall into the trap of confusing all acts of creativity with "entrepreneurship", further blurring our understanding of what it means to be "an entrepreneur".

Entrepreneurship starts with creativity and aspiration, but it is not the whole story. The process of turning inventive, creative thinking into real products with real uses is innovation, and building a successful business around such innovations is entrepreneurship.

Inventing a new mouse trap is one thing, but building a highly successful business around it is quite another. To build successful educational programmes that marry creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, we must understand how they are related and how they are different.

Simon Barnes,

Director, Entrepreneurship Centre,

Tanaka Business School,

Imperial College London,

London SW7 2AZ