Written by Lynn O'Byrne
Surrey: Student Enterprise
Student Enterprise at the University of Surrey took a different approach to prize-giving at its latest annual Hackathon17 this year. Instead of cash prizes of the past, the winning team of students participated in a bespoke Socials Leaders Programme with ProjectCHAKRA and lived the values of the UN SDGs. The themes of the programme were enterprise, innovation and personal leadership development . Their experience spanned meeting grassroots entrepreneurs in India’s informal labour market and NGOs working with slum communities, to multi-national scientific venture funds and UNDP partner social enterprises. The programme was “transformational” according to the students – read more here.
Latvian Entrepreneurs at Anglia Ruskin University
‘Last month, the Anglia Ruskin University hosted a week-long Latvia-Cambridge Venture Camp (LCVC) in collaboration with Cambridge Worldwide Associates, CONNECT Latvia, Riga Technical University, the University of Latvia, and the College of Business Administration
During a full programme of visits and workshops, the LCVC fostered a vibrant environment where participants discussed product and business development, finances, marketing, and entrepreneurial mindsets. The week culminated in a brilliant set of 10 pitches by Venture Camp attendees, who received feedback and guidance on their business ideas, and a celebratory awards dinner at Peterhouse College, Cambridge. What an enthusiastic, bright, and engaged group!’
Buckingham: Two teams of Buckingham Medical Students awarded £1000 each after a short Clinical Innovation and Enterprise course and pitch.
On 1st September 2023 two teams of University of Buckingham medical students pitched to “Buckingham Angels” at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Research & Innovation Centre in Stoke Mandeville Hospital with an audience of nurses, doctors and BHT CEO. Much to everyone’s amazement, one of the Angels, Philanthropist Dr. Roger Jefcoate, personally awarded both teams £1000 to encourage them to work with Buckingham Enterprise and Innovation Unit and BHT Research & Innovation Centre to develop and commercialise their Apps. More Information here.
Greenwich: ‘Educational Leader of the Year’ award
After being nominated and shortlisted in August, the Generator at University of Greenwich has won the ‘Educational Leader of the Year’ award at the Foundervine Changemaker Awards 2023. This award recognises an education company that has made significant strides in revolutionising the way people learn, teach, and interact with educational resources. Foundervine work to remove the social and economic barriers to innovation, disrupting the status quo in everything they do. Lynette Lisk, Generator Programmes Manager said, “It is an honour to win Education Leader of the Year and see the hard work the Generator team has put into empowering students through enterprise recognised.”
KCL: London Demo Day 2023
20 start-ups from Imperial, King’s College London, LSE and UCL pitched their innovations to an audience of 400+, including 200+ investors, partners, students and alumni, who had gathered in King’s College London’s Bush House building for London Demo Day. 2023 marks the first year that LSE have joined the event. 50% of the pitching start-ups were health-related and all aligned with social impact. Since 2019, 45 innovative teams have pitched through this collaboration, collectively raising £45m+. Read more here.