Planting the seeds for business to bloom This country is insufficiently entrepreneurial. That might surprise viewers of The Apprentice or Dragons" Den, whose producers appear to tap a rich seam of budding business titans. But it is, as David Cameron argued yesterday, a relatively narrow one. Talented and ambitious young people in this country tend to go into the City or the professions, where the money is good and the risks small. According to the Prime Minister, if this country were as entrepreneurial as the United States, there would be 900,000 more businesses in existence - and we would not be struggling to get out of a double-dip recession. This statistic was produced at the launch of a clever new plan to promote greater entrepreneurship. The StartUp Loans programme provides an £82 million pot to young people who want to create a business. Targeted at those aged between 18 and 24 - who tend to find the banks less than obliging when it comes to finance - the scheme is designed to give youngsters with a business idea the money to develop it. Devised by Lord Young of Graffham, the most business-friendly of former Cabinet ministers, it is hoped that it could help to launch as many as 30,000 start-ups. The sums involved may be modest - a typical loan is expected to be about £2,500, with interest charged at RPI plus three per cent - and the advance will have to be repaid within five years. But this kind of seed-corn investment can prove crucial if offered at the right time. And as Lord Young stressed, it is about more than money. Successful applicants will also be mentored by business experts as they try to make their mark. This is as much about fostering a new culture of entrepreneurialism as about encouraging new businesses. And such a relatively inexpensive initiative could have a positive impact in an important part of the economy. With unemployment among 18- to 24-year-olds now running at just under 20 per cent, double the overall rate of joblessness, anything that can make a dent in it is worth trying. It is a pity, however, that the Government is proving less adventurous when it comes to larger, game-changing initiatives such as infrastructure investment. In his Autumn Statement last year, George Osborne said that he wanted the big funds, who have billions at their disposal, to put money into infrastructure. As the CBI pointed out yesterday, it is now six months on, and we are no closer to that happening. Major construction projects are an excellent way to create jobs and demand, so a greater sense of urgency is clearly needed. The CBI wants the Government to get things moving by underwriting part of such schemes, to make them more attractive for pension fund investment. What are ministers waiting for?