To build a business from just an idea is a journey that can positively touch many lives. To do so straight from university is to use the energy, spirit and determination so many of our graduates discover in Higher Education. Bringing together 10 Higher Education Institutions, the Graduate Entrepreneurship Project launched with the aim of helping students across Yorkshire to achieve their entrepreneurial goals, as well as helping them make a significant impact to the region's economy.
At the heart of the Graduate Entrepreneurship Project is the idea of collaboration. Individually Yorkshire Higher Education Institutions are hugely proactive in enterprise, but the Graduate Entrepreneurship Project took the unprecedented step of uniting them under one project. Ideas are exchanged, graduates have wider resources to draw upon and the marketing of young companies at joint exhibitions has maximum impact.
The project offers:
- Information and advice
- Entrepreneurs' boot camps
- Proof of concept funds
- Start-up grants
- Workshops
- University Showcases
Through its support and guidance the project has undoubtedly met its objectives to develop students' aspirations and to give them the confidence and abilities that they need to succeed. Perhaps equally impressive is the partnership that underpins these achievements; rarely do we see such effective collaboration between institutions, yet as seen in this project, the benefits are clearly significant.
The Graduate Entrepreneurship Project has recently won the 'Enterprise Champions' Award which is part of the National Enterprise Educators Awards held annually and organised by NCEE and EEUK.
The project was seen as a significant success both regionally and nationally. This has helped the project to secure further funds to continue to offer support until December 2013.
More details about the project can be found on the website and within the project report, both of which can be accessed below.