Fife and Edinburgh entrepreneurs make Maserati 100 list

A young Fife entrepreneur has been featured alongside Sir Tom Farmer in The Maserati 100 – a definitive list of Britain’s most successful philanthropists, investors, mentors and advisors, and ascending entrepreneurs who are supporting the next generation of up and coming business talent.

Dunfermline-based Kallum Russell is listed for his work with Acorn Enterprise, a free business accelerator which he founded in 2013 – just two years out of university – alongside Edinburgh-born Farmer, who is the founder of Kwik Fit and the Farmer Foundation.

The east coast pair feature alongside the likes of Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent Drinks; internet entrepreneur Jamal Edwards, and Chrissie Rucker of the White Company, in the luxury Italian car manufacturer’s second Maserati 100 index, which was curated by a panel of experts from the Centre of Entrepreneurs.

Centre of Entrepreneurs founder Luke Johnson, who is the former chairman of Channel 4 Television and Pizza Express, said: “Entrepreneurs have long been celebrated for their role as job creators – indeed UK entrepreneurs added 700,000 net new jobs in 2014-15 – but their deep commitment to helping others often goes unnoticed. The Maserati 100 exemplifies the economic and social value of entrepreneurs; growing the economy, creating jobs and helping the next generation do the same.”

Those named ranged from 19 to 90 years in age, as such the list features a high calibre of diverse and vibrant British entrepreneurs, who not only help contribute to the growing UK economy, but also provide support to tomorrow’s business leaders.

While nearly 50% of those included in the list are based in London, there was no lack of skills or entrepreneurs elsewhere in the UK as most regions were accounted for within the remaining half, with mentors being nominated from Scotland, Wales, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Somerset.

Russell has set out to help more than 500 entrepreneurs over the next three years with Acorn Enterprise and is also the Fife area board member of Young Enterprise – helping to deliver the company formation scheme in schools across Fife.

The full Maserati 100 list can be found here.