First, do no harm
Tech's simple Budget wish list.
Good morning and Happy Budget Day,
Today's briefing comes to you from a late-night train somewhere in the darkness of East Anglia.
What if a great business idea felt less daunting to pursue?
AI is making it easier for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into businesses, helping with everything from building websites and creating content to managing everyday operations.
Shopify's data shows that businesses on its platform support 9.6 million jobs globally, including 479,000 in the UK.
For policymakers, it means economic growth doesn't just come from big businesses expanding, but from thousands more people being able to start something of their own.
Happening Today 📆
Happy B-Day: John Healey delivers the Budget Statement at 12:30pm and a host of docs will then drop with the detail. The statement normally takes an hour and is followed by a debate in Parliament. The Chancellor has claimed it will be a "steady as she goes" Budget, but will also back "bloody-minded" entrepreneurs.
Cheers or jeers: The place to be afterwards is Atomico’s HQ for an event with the Startup Coalition. AI Minister Kanishka Narayan will be selling the Budget to industry, followed by a panel with Alex Depledge, the government’s outgoing Entrepreneur Adviser.
Diary Date: The Cyber Bill returns to the Lords on Monday for its third (and final) reading.
In today's edition:
💸 What to watch in today's Budget
👀 Ministers look at a data centre deal to overcome opposition
🚀 An AI in space strategy
