Virtual Summer Start-up Week launched to help students become real-world entrepreneurs
Fifty three entrepreneurial students from Bangor have won places on a free online Summer Start-Up week to help get their business ideas off the ground.
The unique Summer Start-Up Week, beginning on Monday 8th June, offers five days of inspiration, learning and networking to nearly 500 students, to turn ideas into businesses, social enterprises and freelancing careers.
The Course, which is now full was open to anyone over the age of 16, who is a current student or has studied at a welsh institution.
As the coronavirus pandemic has led to unprecedented times for people living in Wales and across the world, the Summer Start-Up Week has been driven and launched collaboratively by all Welsh Colleges and Universities to ensure young people separated by social distancing can join a virtual start-up community and continue to develop their ideas.
The week will be run by experienced entrepreneurs and business experts, including Katy Hayward from honey farm and education centre Felin Honeybees, Teresa Carnall from TBC Marketing, Colwyn Bay, Chris Walker of People Systems International, Anglesey, Sid Madge of Mad Hen Ltd, Gwynedd and Kath Lewis a business mentor from Llandudno.
A mix of daily live webinars and Q&A sessions cover topics such as market research, finance, digital marketing and networking, helping participants to develop skills and gain information and contacts to turn ideas into viable businesses or social enterprises. Over twenty Welsh entrepreneurs will be involved in sharing their start up knowledge.
Confirmed speakers include Alana Spencer, owner of Ridiculously Rich confectionary business. Winner of BBC One's The Apprentice in 2016, Alana, originally from Aberystwyth, will share her own business experience and advice to the students and graduates taking part.
Emma Forouzan, Student Enterprise Manager at USW and Chair of Summer Start-Up Week: "At universities and colleges in Wales, we see first-hand the exceptional entrepreneurial minds of many of our students and we’re continually looking for ways to nurture and support those students with strong business ideas. Even in this current climate, it's important for ambitious young people with a business concept to think about their options and take advantage of free support available to them.
Through this all-Wales collaboration of institutions we are taking the opportunity to nurture a national online community, full of ideas and enthusiasm, connected to the wealth of start-up support available here in Wales.
Publication date: 8 June 2020