In essence, The Scipio Project aims to deliver a range of powerful digital applications which reduce costs, improve productivity, and enhance profitability, for all businesses regardless of size, industry, or geographic location. Whilst at the same time building a supportive community of SME’s, Start-ups, and fast-growing enterprises.

Our overarching goal is to reduce risk to entrepreneurs, optimise their chances of success and usher in a new paradigm for building sustainable profit centric business whilst encouraging a more wholistic ESG[1] centred approach to business growth.

Why form a cooperative for SME’s?

Increasingly over the last few years I have become disenfranchised with the start-up or SME “scene”. Many organisations who proport to understand or support Start-ups, either offer worthless generic “coaching or mentoring” or have something to spruik, and then simply offer a watered down, effectively worthless “free” version of their product in anticipation the user will upgrade to the premium (read, useful) paid version of the product, or, and it’s a big or…The “discount” they make available is for a definition of an “SME” which is out of touch with reality. 

Definition of an SME: “Less than $20 million turnover & fewer than 500 employees.

This may be comparatively small number, perhaps when compared to an Apple, a Toyota, or a Facebook, but when you consider most SME’s turn over less than $1-2 million per annum and hire fewer than 10 people, you soon realise this definition is woefully inaccurate.

The other disconnect I have noticed is the lack of support for traditional, or non-digital entrepreneurs.  Whilst there is no shortage of industry sponsors “Hackathons” and Digital Networking Events, all chasing the next “tech-unicorn” there seems to be a dearth of support options for entrepreneurs venturing into more traditional business niches like F&B, retail, design, or small-scale manufacturing.

SMEs are the Engines of Growth in any Economy

These types of businesses all contribute to a country's economy in very real and dynamic ways. Small and medium enterprises are the largest employers in every nation on earth. and more needs to be done to provide tools, resources, and education to this immensely valuable tribe of entrepreneurs.

Unlike many in the purely digital arena, these businesses are often not focused on an exit, nor accessing a revolving door of fresh capital, but instead depend on prudent cashflow management, real world sales and of making ongoing legitimate profits, year in year out (not just for a single quarter) to feed their families, educate their children and save for their retirements.

VC Myths

VCs often propagate the myth that every start-up can become the next “Unicorn” and encourage an exit at all costs mindset, (which can be so destructive to building a sustainable business.)

They are often focused solely on their funds’ performance, their bonuses and commissions, and care very little for the long-term profitability of the enterprises they invest in or the community they reside within, and sadly, nothing of the people who risk it all to build them….

It’s IPO, Trade Sale or Dump: on to the next project.

As I reflect on the idea of launching a new business today; I wonder:

Ø  What tools will make a genuine difference to my start-up?

Ø  What data will I need to access and analyse to make prudent fiscal decisions?

Ø  How will I grow and scale my business without the headache and expense of transitioning from system-to-system?

Ø  How will I raise capital, now and in the future?

Ø  How do I get my business online, build my digital presence, protect my IP, hire my team?

Ø  How do I build my company whilst ensuring I protect the environment and minimise my carbon footprint?

The Scipio Project seeks to enable start-ups and SMEs with a range of powerful business tools which can make an impactful difference to their businesses allowing them to scale and grow without limitations.

If this project interests you, you can register your interest at www.thescipioproject.com to keep up todate with its development.

Jaime Terauds

[1] ESG stands for Environmental Social and Governance and refers to these three key factors when measuring the sustainability and ethical impact of an investment in a business or company.