VIDEO: View highlights of 2022’s event.
Business leaders, academic experts and student entrepreneurs will join the University of Bath’s second annual Enterprise Day event on March 29 to share their business and research expertise, and showcase their start-up successes.
Enterprise Day is part of the University’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship programme, which supports staff, students, graduates and local entrepreneurs with their enterprise ambitions, bridging campus and companies. The University has a strong track record in creating spin-out companies and sharing its research expertise with the business world. This month, University of Bath entrepreneurs were shortlisted for nine [National StartUp Awards[(https://www.freshbusinessthinking.com/national-startup-awards).
“I am delighted that we are able to once again celebrate our Enterprise Day, building on the success of last year’s inaugural event. Fostering an innovative and enterprising campus culture is of prime importance to the University as we seek to recognise and support all our staff and students who pursue an entrepreneurial path,” said Professor Jonathan Knight, Vice-President Enterprise.
The event will be opened by Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian White, who is expected to outline the University’s vision and ambitions for its Enterprise offering, and flag its importance to the audience of researchers, students, alumni, entrepreneurs, and external stakeholders.
Following Professor White’s address, attendees will be able to hear from expert speakers on a variety of topics, including transforming research into business ideas, join business masterclasses, engage in networking, and speak to student entrepreneurs who will be exhibiting their start-ups on stands in a showcase area.
External speakers include alumnus Stephen Carter who, as a European Patent Attorney, founded The Intellectual Property Works to help innovative start-ups and SMEs to leverage their IP. Alumnus Jordan Harry, CEO of StudyFast and popular TEDx Speaker, will be involved in the Graduate University Success Stories session chaired by Siobain Hone, Enterprise Education Manager.
Enterprising researchers with experience of commercialising their ideas will also be contributing throughout the day. This includes Dr Vimal Dhokia, Deputy Head of Mechanical Engineering and Co-Founder of Gen3D; Professor Toby Jenkins, Principal Investigator at SmartWound Ltd; and Professor Randy Mrsny, Founder of Applied Molecular Transport.
Margaret Heffernan, Professor of Practice at the University’s School of Management will talk on the advantages of failure. Margaret co-leads the Forward Institute which supports responsible leadership, and mentors CEOs and senior executives of major global organisations.
“I am thrilled that we are able to assemble such an impressive group of individuals who can share such valuable insights and lessons learned from their entrepreneurial journeys. Our second Enterprise Day will appeal to students, researchers and local SMEs who are interested in starting and sustaining new businesses,” said Stephen Rangecroft, Director of External Engagement.
The showcase of start-ups created by University of Bath students will include Simon Rollings of the Canned Wine Co.; Chris Hannaway of alcohol-free beer company Infinite Session; and winners past and present of the University’s Alumni Innovation Award, which supports students to develop their ideas into viable businesses.
This includes graduates E-J Roodt, creator of the Epowar women’s safety app, Isabel Hurst of clothes-swapping app Dopplle; James Rust of dental hygiene app Test My Teeth; and Nav Sawhney, who founded The Washing Machine Project, a grassroots social enterprise based in the UK which created a hand-cranked washing machine to help people in refugee camps and poorer regions keep their clothes clean.
The BBC recently announced Nav Sawhney as a recipient of the Points of Light Award from the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.