News release - Enterprise Boot camp
Hampshire students are getting suited and booted for an 'Enterprise Boot Camp' designed to fire up their entrepreneurial spirit.
Southampton Solent University is running an intensive three day residential training course for students from Southampton Solent, Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester Universities from March 26-28.
This prestigious annual event aims to sharpen the recruits' business skills.
Mixed teams will face a variety of enterprise challenges to introduce them to business concepts and financial strategies in a lively environment where budding business ideas can flourish.
Students will be challenged in variety of interactive workshops and presentations, and will learn how to produce a business plan and pitch their ideas to a panel of judges.
As part of the event, mixed groups from the four institutions will be unleashed on the centre of Southampton for The Business Challenge. Mixed groups from the four institutions will be given £50 and will compete to make the best profit in just one day through a workable business venture.
No-one is booted out of Boot Camp, but prizes for generating the most profit and for the most innovative idea are up for grabs. The winners will be announced at the final on Friday March 28.
Last years winner of The Business Challenge, Sean Nuzum from the University of Southampton, thought it was a great experience from start to finish and a real opportunity to exercise his entrepreneurial skills.
He says:
"I would strongly recommend it to budding entrepreneurs or
business students. It's a good chance to put the theory into practice. I
came away wanting to start my own business asap!"
Southampton Solent University has an excellent reputation for supporting and promoting its budding entrepreneurs and is one of only 13 Universities invited to join the government funded Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education (SPEED) scheme. Some of the 65 students already benefiting from the schemes' business start-up training, mentoring and financial support are already on the verge of developing sustainable businesses and employing a workforce.
Sponsors of the annual Enterprise Boot Camp include Business Link, Hampshire Enterprise Partnership, Southampton City Council and Grant Thornton.