Professor of Entrepreneurship Jim Duffy is the founder and Chief Executive Optimist of Entrepreneurial Spark the world’s largest free business accelerator. Jim successfully campaigned for the support of fellow entrepreneurs, government officials and influential business people to create a much needed support network for other entrepreneurs, his vision to inspire and enable positive social change through the action of Entrepreneuring® He also successfully campaigned for the creation of the Scottish EDGE fund and gained support from now entrepreneurs in residence at Entrepreneurial Spark, Sir Tom Hunter, Lord Willie Haughty and Ann Gloag OBE. Professor Duffy has secured the significant backing of Royal Bank of Scotland to roll out eight new Entrepreneurial Spark accelerators across the UK. Entrepreneurial Spark currently operates in Ayrshire, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow. A further three locations will be opened in England in August this year. These are Bristol, Brighton and Leeds. To date Entrepreneurial Spark have supported 352 businesses, who have then went on to collectively turnover more than £41 million leading to the creation of 1028 jobs.