Written by Lynn O'Byrne
UAL Creative Hack: cross-college collaboration tackles social and environmental challenges
Led by University of the Arts London’s Careers and Employability, in collaboration with teams from their six colleges and institutions, this dynamic creative hackathon with social innovation at its core, took place over 3 days in February. 80 participants came together to learn from expert speakers and mentors, ideate, innovate, create, and then present their ideas to a panel of industry and entrepreneur judges. Three teams shared the £3000 prize fund, along with further mentoring, so that they can develop their initiatives and hopefully go on to change the world!
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Strathclyde: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report: worldwide impact of the pandemic is mixed
The latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report shows that countries have experienced variable impacts from the pandemic – out of 38 economies that took part, 16 saw their total early-stage Entrepreneurial Activity dramatically fall. The ‘GEM 2022/2023 Global Report – Adapting to a New Normal’ observes that the quality of entrepreneurship ecosystems is now better in the East, with UAE, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and India taking the top four spots.
Middlesex: Special session on Growth and Sustainability
Dr Chris Moon delivered a special session on Growth and Sustainability for 30 local SME businesses in Barnet. This followed the successful workshops on Micro Business and is part of the Barnet LB and Middlesex University partnership in which the programme was co-created with Barnet council and MDX colleagues. The next step is to work on a joint Net Zero initiative. Further information: c.moon@mdx.ac.uk. Chris is a fellow of EEUK.
Manchester: PGCert Entrepreneurship – learn to think entrepreneurially
With a proud history of innovation and partnership with industry, The University of Manchester and Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC), are here to support and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs every step of the way. Our new PG Cert in Entrepreneurship is a part-time online programme and can be completed flexibly in twelve months. This is designed for entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs who want to learn fast and develop business ideas quickly. Explore new opportunities, develop innovative business ideas with commercial potential and create your own future with the PGCert in Entrepreneurship. Read more here.
Strathclyde: UK sliding in quality of entrepreneurship ecosystem, ranked 25th globally
The UK is ranked at number 25 of 51 countries on the quality of entrepreneurship ecosystem economies according to the new Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) National Entrepreneurship Context Index (NECI). The ranking, reported in the ‘GEM 2022/2023 Global Report – Adapting to a New Normal’, is a slide down from rank 18 last year, with the index score decreasing from 4.9 (in 2021) to 4.7. UK’s NECI score is below that of other comparable economies such as the USA (5.2), France (5.1), and Germany (5.1).
Brunel: Kicking Off the Ford Design Challenge: The Future of Mobility
100 students from Brunel University London started their journey on the D-Ford Design Factory London Challenge: The Future of Mobility. This 6-week challenge creates a culture of collaborative innovation for enterprise through students exploring new ways to design, develop, and shape the future of transportation. This challenge provides students with the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the transportation industry. Students dive into the current trends and challenges in the transportation sector, learn from Ford’s experienced professionals, and gain new perspectives through mentorship and support from the wider Brunel team.
UCL: MSc Entrepreneurship Pitch Day
The UCL School of Management hosted the MSc Entrepreneurship Pitch Day, where students presented innovative business ideas to investors and venture capitalists. The event drew a record-breaking attendance of 178 people, including mentors, alumni, and UCL students. Our guest-speaker, Noa Havazelet, Head of Google for Startups Accelerator, shared invaluable tips for first-time entrepreneurs. Cash prizes, sponsored by the Engineers in Business Fellowship, were given to accelerate business growth. Nikhil Aggawal (Swyftin) and Lola Fitoussi (Genz’) won £1,000 each for Best Ideas, while Ina Jovicic (eNOugh) delivered the Best Pitch, and Niyati Takiar (Sport for all) won the Best Showcase award, with each winning £1,000.