Tame Lawyers and UK Startup Incentives

It is common knowledge that each state in the US has a commission or agency that recruits filmmakers, but did you know England will pay your way to locate - even virtually - a business there? The Heart of England, a regional initiative to bring foreign businesses to the Midlands region, was at SXSW throwing out the red carpet for anyone that might possibly create a job one day.

In my examination of their pitch, I used the example of our iPhone development firm, and the list of perks they rattled off was impressive. Free advice from a tame lawyer, as the Birthplace of Top Gear calls helpful attorneys, both for formation as a subsidiary of a US corporation and for IP planning. Free accounting services, presumably from a tame accountant. Free incubator office space for 6 months, lead generation help, and - get this - a new UK credit file for you and your firm. In the bizarro world of modern business, you could be bankrupt in the colonies and lease a Jaguar in jolly ol’ England. Bloody wonderful, mate.

I honestly have no desire to relocate to the UK, much less to an area every other Brit at the conference painted as their Detroit, so the most interesting part of the pitch was that they don’t expect you to do so either. Their hope is that if your UK business takes hold and makes money throughout Europe, you’ll hire someone - one new job created! - to run this thing. If your European credit shelter, er, technology business becomes the next Facebook or Apple, well, all the better. They just ask, but don’t require, that you please don’t move the firm to Brighton like everyone else on the island recommends.

To complete the Detroit similarity, they promoted the region as the birthplace of heavy metal music. So if tax breaks and free services don’t get you excited, there is always Ozzy and AC/DC to inspire confidence in your global plan. Among numerous activities to choose from this week was a Motorhead show at Stubb’s famous BBQ and music spot, sponsored by an economic development board from England. We live in strange times.

Posted via email from Fear and Loathing at SXSW Interactive