FLYING START ENTREPRENEURS SQUIDLONDON - COMMISSIONED BY TATE

What if your umbrella could change into a walking piece of art?

Commissioned by Tate, SquidLondon designed and produced a colour changing paint drip umbrella. As soon as the rain hit the panels, the all over white design reveals splendour of colours and excitement.

The Umbrella was inspired by the Colour chart ‘Reinventing Colours’ 1950 - Today Exhibition at Tate Liverpool. It is one of the first major exhibitions devoted to the shifting moment in the twentieth-century. Highlighted artists include, Damien Hirst, Yves Klein, Gerhardt Richter, Ellsworth Kelly, Dan Flavin to name but a few.

The exhibition celebrates a paradox: the beauty that occurs when artists assign colour decisions to chance, readymade source, or arbitrary system”. It was a great honour and pleasure for SquidLondon, an upcoming design duo who joined the Flying Start Creative Industries Programme in January, to be commissioned by Tate using its colour changing concept.

 

 “The inspiration was paint as it drips down the canvas creating different streaks and blobs. When the rain hits the panels the border changes into the infamous colour circle. Playing with the theory of primary and secondary colours the Squidder’s gave it a fun twist whilst being inspired by the architects Herzog and de Meurons’ colour study in the 1980’s.” commented Viviane Jaeger.

Winners of the ‘People’s Choice’ award in the ShellLiveWire ‘Grand Ideas’ competition, the Squidder's are inventing a rotating display unit which sprays itself with water to help customers understand the fascinating colour change concept.

Emma-Jayne Parkes adds: ‘The paint drip design creates excitement, interaction and fun, making you want to step out in the rain – it is more than just a black and white umbrella lying on a shelf – it brightens up rainy summer days after leaving the gallery.’

As it rains 1 in 3 days in Britain, Tate’s exclusive Paint Drip umbrella, which is sold at Tate Liverpool, Tate Modern and Tate Britain, makes a functional and clever souvenir. ‘Why not walk out with a piece of the exhibition and make fun use of it in the rain?’

Squid London Win the Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Award!

Flying Start Entrepreneurs Squid London, have won the People’s Choice Award, as voted for online by the Shell LiveWIRE online community, for their innovative colour changing umbrella.

The umbrella changes into a multitude of colour, when the rain hit’s the panels; making it a piece of art, as well as a trimph in science and design.

Congratulations to Squid London! The £1000 prize fund will go towards a new display unit for the umbrella.

Click here to visit the Shell LiveWIRE website and read about the other winners.

Flying Start Entrepreneurs Shortlisted for Shell Live Wire Award!

Fashion-forward entrepreneurs; Viviane Jaeger and Emma Jane Parkes have been shortlisted for the Shell Live Wire Grand Idea’s award for June.

Squid London’s grand idea is an umbrella that changes colour when it rains, creating an interactive experience and a piece of art!

They joined the Flying Start Creative Industries Programme in Bournemouth, in January and it has been onwards and upwards for the duo since then.

To take a look at their journey and to vote for the revolutionary umbrella, visit the Shell Live Wire website and register.

resource

there is over 400 items of information for creative people to help them with their businesses at www.percyemmett.com  please go and register its free, and ghe information is free. 

FlyingStart Fashion Stars Make Big Splash

It is not all gloom and doom on the streets of London. SquidLondon, is launching a new collection of Squidarellas™ – umbrellas that change colour as soon as the rain falls on their panels.

Viviane Jaeger and Emma-Jane Parkes, who joined the FlyingStart Creative Industries Programme in Bournemouth in January will launch their sensational new umbrellas during an interactive launch event at Spitalfields Market, London, on the 31st May.

The unique colour change technology used by SquidLondon transforms a regular umbrella into a walking piece of art and creates an interactive experience whilst you walk in the rain.

With a contemporary London skyline design, vivid colours, and an affordable price, the new collection can brighten any rainy day, as well as making a creative gift. The Skyline Collection will be stocked at Beyond the Valley, an art gallery dedicated to new and upcoming talent in the fields of art, design and fashion, located off Carnaby Street in London from the 25th May.

From 29th May Squidarellas will be on sale at The Tate art galleries in Liverpool and London and, from the 10th-14th June, at the Art Basel exhibition in Switzerland. See more at www.squidlondon.com. 

Up-cycled Fashions Target Breast Cancer

Goodone Fashions, run by Nin Castle - who attended the NCGE-RSA FlyingStart Design Programme in Manchester in July 2006 - has launched a black and white body con dress in collaboration with Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.

Goodone designs and produces innovative clothing using recycled fabrics. Their specialist understanding of the deconstruction and reconstruction of garments can create a large amount of new clothing from old, making each garment unique. This reduces waste as well as minimising energy use.

The Fashion Targets Breast Cancer dress is made from 100% upcycled fabrics and 30% of the sale goes straight to this really worthy cause. "We think it's one of our best designs to date," said Nin. "It's very sexy yet also extemely flattering on all sizes."

This limited edition dress is now available to buy from Laden Showrooms, a designer boutique in East London. Find out more at www.goodone.co.uk.

Enter The O2 X Awards 2009

If you're already trading, you have between 1 and 50 employees, and you're seeing your business idea take off, why not enter the 2009 O2 X Awards to find their entrepreneurs of the year?

In its sixth year, each winner's package in this competition offers a £5,000 cash prize, widespread publicity with media partners, mentoring sessions with prominent entrepreneurs, an O2 tariff and handset (an iPhone for one lucky winner), and tickets to a gig at O2 Arena or O2 Academy.

There are chances to win in three categories: Grazia O2 Entrepreneur of the Year; Shortlist O2 Entrepreneur of the Year; and O2 X Young Entrepreneur of the Year (if you're aged 25 or under).

Last year's winner was Stephen Hurton who runs Proper Oils, collecting used cooking oil to turn it into biodiesel. "By getting recognition through the O2 X Awards it shows you're one of the best, which allows you to grow quicker and, as such, we're now working with three local authorities and increasing our customer base," he said.

Applicants have until 1 August to enter at http://o2-business.com/business. 

“The Flying Start program gave me the 'big idea' but crucially, the confidence to do something about it.”

What's the 'big idea'?
Creating newspapers and magazines at live events and conferences for delegates to take away with them. Top quality publications in a format of the clients choice. Everything from a 'Telegraph' with a strong emphasis on content and message to a 'Hello' wannabe naming and shaming in pictures and intrigue from hotel bars and in-house gossip. A publication for every event.

How?
All of the speakers are interviewed before an event. A synopsis of their presentation and message is written up prior to the event together with an overview of the event. A 'skeleton' copy of the publication can be put together and signed off by the client. On the day, reporter and photographer gather feedback from delegates. Vox pops from the dinner tables. Photographs of speakers, delegates and the venue. Additional stories and editorial about guest speakers arriving on the day, photo shoots from activities carried out by delegates. A news desk is set up in a visible location and news boards with the latest headlines of the day are positioned prominently around the venue. High quality, high speed  printing on site means that every delegate takes a copy of the publication away with them as they leave each evening.

Why would anybody want this service?
The publication needs to be high quality. A 'Hello' style magazine needs to be indistinguishable from the real thing. A 'Guardian' style needs the same journalistic and photographic style. The publication has to feel special. Something a delegate will want to keep and share with colleagues back at the office. The make or break of this venture will be the ability of the publication to extend a clients message beyond the life of the event. If delegates are passing the publication around the canteen back at work the next day then the business will work.

Progress so far
Market Analysis: Pricing the service and determining whether there is a market is the big task right now. Finding  contacts and speaking to them directly about the idea and trying to get an idea of the pricing the service could achieve.

Research: To succeed, as a feasible business, I need to source portable printing facilities which can produce top quality printing in newspaper and magazine formats and at a speed which can cater for a print run of up to 2,000 copies just hours before the end of an event.

Administration: Alongside this, parts of the infrastructure which do not need a big capital outlay can be  progressed. Website, software, samples, marketing materials and design.

Background
Second year mature student at the University of Cumbria. Studying joint honours in Journalism and Creative Writing and sitting external NCTJ examinations. Background in IT and Live Events.  Six years as a live event producer. Proficient with Photoshop, Quark, InDesign, Flash, HTML and Web Design. Responsible for live events presentation content, delivery and design.
Three years in marketing and sale of live event services. Five years as Systems Analyst. Qualified with Microsoft Servers, Exchange Servers, Office implementation and IT Management

Contact details
Christopher James
Email: s20070540@cumbria.ac.uk
Website: www.mycarlislelife.co.uk

SIFE Win For King's College London

Many congratulations to Claire Matthews and the King's College London SIFE team who won the UK National Final of the 2009 Students In Free Enterprise Competition. King's came top in a field of 16 regional winners to claim their award at a ceremony at Canary Wharf in London last night.

SIFE is dedicated to nurturing the entrepreneurial skills of university students in a way that is both effective in developing their future careers and meaningful to the community. The students, guided by university and business advisers, form a student-led SIFE team to develop sustainable projects which create economic opportunity for others.

The KCL team will now go forward to represent the UK in the SIFE World Cup, where it will compete against the National Champion teams from all other SIFE countries.

In October 2008, the SIFE World Cup was held in Singapore, where the UK was represented by the University of Nottingham. After winning their Opening Round League to reach the Semi-Final Round, the team from Nottingham - Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year - narrowly missed being the first UK team ever to reach the Final Round.

For more information about this year's SIFE contest visit the website.

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Tate Commission For Squid London

SquidLondon, the duo applying smart materials innovations to the future of textile design, have gained a high profile commission working with Tate Liverpool on its new exhibition: Colour Chart: Reinventing Colour, 1950 to Today.

Viviane Jaeger and Emma-Jayne Parkes, who attended the FlyingStart Programme for Creative Industries (Art and Design) in Bournemouth in January, are rising stars of the design world. They have already achieved fame for their revolutionary use of smart materials in umbrella designs. Their hi-tech brollies change colour and reveal hidden designs when the weather strikes them. Versions were used for the Closing ‘Handover’ Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics last summer.

This time, in Liverpool, SquidLondon has collaborated on an art project with Tate Enterprise for the Colour Chart Exhibition. The Colour Chart umbrella collection will be sold at the Tate Liverpool art shop starting from the 29th of May. In preparation for this they have just returned from a trip to Asia.

Viviane and Emma-Jayne arrived in Bournemouth fresh from recording an interview for BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight news programme. Both felt this FlyingStart Programme ‘exceeded’ their expectations. “I came, listened, exchanged and will have the courage to go to market and fight for my visions,” said Viviane in feedback after the event. Emma-Jayne said they had “met many potential collaborators and sold our product!”

You can see a list of all the FlyingStart participants from Bournemouth here.

Silicon Valley Snapshot From The BBC

 

Silicon Valley start-ups remain optimistic in the face of recession. The BBC's Matt Frei takes a tour of Silicon Valley in California to speak to the entrepreneurs vying to set up the next big internet companies.

Young Foundation Launches New Social Enterprise Fund

A pioneering fund has just been launched to invest in projects designed to change the lives of young people from disadvantaged communities across Britain.

If you want to get a social enterprise off the ground, this fund could help you make it happen. The Learning Launchpad fund will offer a range of investment packages designed to meet the needs of any organisation or individual with an idea to provide alternatives to traditional education to young people aged 14 to 25 years old.

The fund will offer both support and finance for organisations at two stages of development. Stage one investments will provide up to £30,000, plus support, to people starting out with a new idea. Meanwhile stage two investments will offer up to £100,000, plus support, for organisations or initiatives that are already up and running and want to grow.

The support and incubation packages, offered as part of any investment, include business planning, marketing support, book keeping or simply access to contacts.

Delivered by the Young Foundation, in partnership with independent education foundation Edge, the Learning Launchpad fund is open to applications from either individuals with great ideas or emerging charities, social enterprises or mainstream business committed to delivering social change for young people.

Geoff Mulgan, director of the Young Foundation, said: “The downturn is likely  to cut off many young people’s chances of getting a job, leaving thousands without the skills and experience we’ll need when the recovery comes.”

“There is no shortage of ideas about how to solve this – the challenge is to turn more promising ideas into sustainable projects, and channel people’s passion and commitment into results on the ground.”

Tim Campbell, former winner of hit reality TV show the Apprentice, who has since set up the Bright Ideas Trust, is endorsing the fund. He said: “What I’ve learned since I set-up Bright Ideas Trust is that there’s nothing like starting up on your own to give you the freedom to pursue the things that really matter.  This fund will help remove the barriers people face when they come-up with a great idea.  For a start-up entrepreneur, it is just as important to get a cash flow injection as it is to get the tailored support you need, whether its help with finance, communications or web technology.  The Learning Launchpad offers both.  The focus of the fund is to find the best ideas that will enable young people to make a difference, something very close to my heart.  The hunt is on, so get thinking and good luck!”

Andy Powell, Chief Executive of independent education foundation Edge, emphasises the importance of taking risks. He said:  “The Learning Launchpad is one of our most exciting partnerships. Young people can often lack access to opportunities outside traditional academic routes – and the Learning Launchpad allows people to take risks and develop innovative new approaches to practical learning, showing them that there really are many paths to success.”

For more information and how to apply, please see www.learninglaunchpad.org

Creativity Inspired At Liverpool John Moores

Over 75 student entrepreneurs in Liverpool on Wednesday were provided with inspiration by internationally renowned creative business advisor David Parrish (www.davidparrish.com).

David was keynote speaker at the FlyingStart Rally, which delivered a series of workshops and activities giving participants an insight into starting up and running a business or social enterprise.

The event - organised jointly with Emma Hunter, North West Enterprise Champion at Liverpool John Moores, and her colleague Dominique Aspey - attracted a range of students and graduates interested in creating their own futures by setting up businesses. Dominique Aspey said: "we are delighted with the success of yesterday’s event and feedback that I have had from my business contacts who came along as ‘industry experts’ shows that we have a huge amount of support from established entrepreneurs for what we are doing."

The NCGE's FlyingStart Events Coordinator David Benson said: "Speaking to many of the participants throughout the day it seems we have really sown the seeds for the Programme and have some great candidates who I am sure are now going to apply at FlyingStartOnline.com."

Check out the full list of upcoming FlyingStart Programmes (www.flyingstartonline.com) and Rallies on the website.

FlyingStart Global Entrepreneur's FLOODSTOP Deployed In Kent

Rapid deployment of 175m of the Fluvial Innovations FLOODSTOP barrier designed by pioneering FlyingStart Global Entrepreneur Simon Phelps last week guarded against a predicted 6.8m spring tide at Sandwich Quay in Kent.

Paul Marshall, Operations Delivery Team Leader for the Environment Agency in Kent, oversaw the deployment of the FLOODSTOP barrier system and provided residents with information about flood risks. Other Environment Agency colleagues from the region travelled to Sandwich to see the system in action.

See video of FLOODSTOP being deployed here, and an interview with Paul Marshall here. ITV Meridian Tonight covered the story too. "It's a very flexible system," said Mr Marshall. "We have colleagues coming from all around our region today to have a look at the system and see where they can use it throughout their catchments."

Luckily the tide did not overtop the bank, but the defences were in place with plenty of time to spare.

In 2006-2007, Simon was one of the first NCGE-Kauffman International Entrepreneurship Fellows - now known as FlyingStart Global Entrepreneurs - to be selected to spend six months in the United States experiencing how they support entrepreneurship in higher education.He also gained funding from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) to develop

He graduated from Bournemouth University in 2005 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Computer Aided Product Design and was recommended by them for the NCGE scheme, which selects the most promising graduate entrepreneurs from science, technology, engineering and mathematics subject areas at English universities. Each one has the potential to create an innovative high-impact start-up company .

The experience was invaluable. "The time with my US mentors during my internship was invaluable. They provided me with amazing insights and advice which really helped me make headway with the progress of Fluvial Innovations Ltd."

Simon formed Fluvial Innovations, based at Poole in Dorset, initially to carry out a nine-month feasibility study into his patented FLOODSTOP product. This work was partially funded by the UK's Department of Trade and Industry (DTi) (now BERR) through a Smart Grant worth £22,000. The company is constantly developing its award-winning, reusable FLOODSTOP system to protect communities, householders and businesses from flood damage.

Find out more here about Fluvial Innovations Ltd and the FLOODSTOP System.

Call Goes Out For Dragons\' Den

Entrepreneurs from across the country once again have a chance to make their business dreams come true by appearing on Dragons' Den. If you're genuinely seeking investment for your business idea or invention, the programme team would like to hear from you.

In the most recent series, 14 entrepreneurs received offers of investment in the Den, with many more going on to find success even without the backing of the dragons.

Andrew Harsley from Lincolnshire secured funding of £150,000 to roll out his innovative new type of cable tie – the Rapstrap. With his new Dragon business partners, James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne, Andrew is reportedly about to put pen to paper on a £6m deal to distribute 400m units.

Previous business success stories in the Den include Imran Hakim who pitched his iTeddy, a teddy bear with an integrated multi-media player, securing an investment of £140,000 from Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones. With the Dragons' investment and expertise, the iTeddy was a smash hit in the UK in Christmas 2007, but this year has now gone global. More than 40 countries around the world are selling iTeddy and Imran predicts that sales will exceed $20m.

Brixton based Levi Roots secured an investment of £50,000 for his secret recipe, Reggae Reggae Sauce. Just 3½ weeks after his appearance on the programme, his sauce launched in Sainsbury's stores nationwide - and with the help of Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh, Levi has increased his product range to 8 sauces, and a Caribbean cook book and café. He says that thanks to the Dragons, he now has a business valued in the millions.

Of course, not everyone secures investment in the Den, but plenty go on to find success. After a really tough time in front of the dragons in 2008, inventor Natalie Ellis failed to convince them to back her non-spill dog bowl.  But just three months later her company had sold almost 50,000 Road Refreshers.  Likewise Rob Law from a previous series went on to rapidly grow his company – he now claims to have sold over 250,000 Trunkis. His luggage for little people has won numerous awards and the product is available in over 30 countries worldwide. 

The rules are simple: entrepreneurs can ask for cash investment in return for equity in their business.  However, they must get the at least amount they ask for or they will walk away with nothing.  The Dragons are prepared to listen to a pitch for any kind of business but they must be convinced that it will make money.

As demonstrated by the investments in the last six series, ideas, businesses and products that meet some or all of the following criteria stand a good chance of securing the Dragons' interest:

• The Unique Selling Point: a product that serves a need like nothing else.
• Scalability: something that can be up scaled to make real money.
• Route to Market: the clear way the product can be sold and marketed.
• Mutually Beneficial Arrangement: just what will the Dragons get out of it?
• Exit Strategy:  a plan of how the entrepreneur/Dragon will exit and make money.

The BBC is currently searching for Britain's best entrepreneurs and will be auditioning throughout the coming months.  We want to hear from anyone who thinks they’ve got what it takes to enter the Dragons' Den.

If you would like an application form please send an email to dragonsden@bbc.co.uk, telephone 0871 200 3003 (Calls cost 10p per minute from a BT Landline, other operators and mobiles may be higher) or visit www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden

Call Goes Out For Dragons' Den

Entrepreneurs from across the country once again have a chance to make their business dreams come true by appearing on Dragons’ Den. If you’re genuinely seeking investment for your business idea or invention, the programme team would like to hear from you.

In the most recent series, 14 entrepreneurs received offers of investment in the Den, with many more going on to find success even without the backing of the dragons.

Andrew Harsley from Lincolnshire secured funding of £150,000 to roll out his innovative new type of cable tie – the Rapstrap. With his new Dragon business partners, James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne, Andrew is reportedly about to put pen to paper on a £6m deal to distribute 400m units.

Previous business success stories in the Den include Imran Hakim who pitched his iTeddy, a teddy bear with an integrated multi-media player, securing an investment of £140,000 from Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones. With the Dragons’ investment and expertise, the iTeddy was a smash hit in the UK in Christmas 2007, but this year has now gone global. More than 40 countries around the world are selling iTeddy and Imran predicts that sales will exceed $20m.

Brixton based Levi Roots secured an investment of £50,000 for his secret recipe, Reggae Reggae Sauce. Just 3½ weeks after his appearance on the programme, his sauce launched in Sainsbury’s’ stores nationwide - and with the help of Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh, Levi has increased his product range to 8 sauces, and a Caribbean cook book and café. He says that thanks to the Dragons, he now has a business valued in the millions.

Of course, not everyone secures investment in the Den, but plenty go on to find success. After a really tough time in front of the dragons in 2008, inventor Natalie Ellis failed to convince them to back her non-spill dog bowl.  But just three months later her company had sold almost 50,000 Road Refreshers.  Likewise Rob Law from a previous series went on to rapidly grow his company – he now claims to have sold over 250,000 Trunkis. His ‘luggage for little people’ has won numerous awards and the product is available in over 30 countries worldwide.

The rules are simple: entrepreneurs can ask for cash investment in return for equity in their business.  However, they must get the at least amount they ask for or they will walk away with nothing.  The Dragons are prepared to listen to a pitch for any kind of business but they must be convinced that it will make money.

As demonstrated by the investments in the last six series, ideas, businesses and products that meet some or all of the following criteria stand a good chance of securing the Dragons’ interest:

• The Unique Selling Point: a product that serves a need like nothing else.
• Scalability: something that can be up scaled to make real money.
• Route to Market: the clear way the product can be sold and marketed.
• Mutually Beneficial Arrangement: just what will the Dragons get out of it?
• Exit Strategy:  a plan of how the entrepreneur/Dragon will exit and make money.
  

The BBC is currently searching for Britain’s best entrepreneurs and will be auditioning throughout the coming months.  We want to hear from anyone who thinks they’ve got what it takes to enter the Dragons’ Den.

If you would like an application form please send an email to dragonsden@bbc.co.uk, telephone 0871 200 3003 (Calls cost 10p per minute from a BT Landline, other operators and mobiles may be higher) or visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden.

Global Entrepreneurs Vie For NESTA Follow-On Funding

Six shortlisted graduate businesses from 26 eligible to apply yesterday pitched their bids for funding to a panel of NCGE and NESTA judges at NESTA’s headquarters in London. Each stood to receive up to £35,000 to finance specific aspects of business development and growth.

NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) has generously created a £150,000 fund to enable this select group of UK Global Entrepreneurs to seek funding that enables them to accelerate the growth of their businesses.

The nine graduate entrepreneurs (three individuals and two teams of two) presented the business ideas they’re working on to experts in innovation, business, finance, technology and communications at the final stage of a demanding competition. They first had to submit detailed business plans justifying why the money is needed and providing strategic, financial and operational information and forecasts.

Each individual and at least one member of each team has completed the NCGE’s prestigious year-long international programme. The scheme – originally known as the NCGE-Kauffman Entrepreneurship Fellowships and now called Flying Start Global Entrepreneurs – is now in its third year. It is run in association with America’s renowned Kauffman Foundation, where participants spend six months learning from world experts in entrepreneurship and visiting some of America's most active entrepreneurial universities and their enterprising environments including Harvard and MIT, and Stanford, near Silicon Valley.

The 2008-2009 group flew to Kansas City, Missouri, where the Kauffman Foundation is based, two weeks ago. They are the first cohort to benefit from specialised training given by NESTA during their first six months in the UK.

The Flying Start Global Entrepreneurs scheme chooses as its participants graduates in science, technology, engineering and maths recommended by their English universities as having the best prospects for creating high-value, high-growth business through developing their innovative ideas.

The innovative businesses represented by yesterday’s group spanned biomedical device design, audio analysis for security applications, online digital media platforms, a flood defence system, and software that tackles a major visual impairment. The NCGE’s Director of Flying Start Programmes, Dr Lorna Collins, said: “This funding will help take some very strong business ideas to the next level. Using experiences gained at university, through research and on the NCGE’s Global Entrepreneurs Programme – gaining experience in America as Kauffman Global Scholars – all the shortlisted candidates are very well placed to succeed as entrepreneurs. Their energy and ideas will be important factors as we strive for potential growth businesses of the future.

“We’re most grateful to NESTA for their foresight and partnership in providing this financial support at a critical time in the development of these enterprises.”

The winners will be announced soon

Student Entrepreneurship News

Idea Idol 2009 Information Session

January 22, 2009 - 7pm
University of Oxford Careers Service, 56 Banbury Rd.

Idea Idol is the flagship ideas competition run by Oxford Entrepreneurs. They are giving away

up to £10,000 and many other prizes for your ideas.  Come along to the Idea Idol Information

Session on January 22, 2009 to learn about the competition, hear from last year's winners,

and get a free gift.

The deadline for Idea Idol 2009 Entries is February 1, 2009 at 17:00. Visit the following link

http://www.oxfordentrepreneurs.co.uk/events/idea-idol/ for more information on Idea Idol 2009

and to submit your entry.

Attention all Online Business and Software Entrepreneur Applicants....

Thank you to all those that have applied for the Software programme! The response and quality of applications have been outstanding and they have been sent to the Judges panel. Applicants will receive notifications as to whether they have been successful tomorrow, Tuesday 9th December!!

The Key to Export Success Seminars

The 'Chamber of International Trade Service's together with the 'UK Trade & Investment'  are hosting seminars in early 2009 to offer prooffesi­onal advice for beginners and those considering export for the first time.

The seminar inform you all about UK Trade & Investment’s Passport to Export scheme, the perfect step by step programme to get you started properly through a structured programme of support  which is ideal for new and inexperienced exporters.

Find out about:­

The Export Health Check. Have you got the necessary capabilities, resources and commitment to be successful?

The Passport to Export Workshop, designed to help you structure your own export strategy.

Developing an effective and appropriate action plan.

Implementing an action plan with the on­-going help of your own personal International Trade Adviser.

These Starting Export seminars are targeted specifically at SME’s (less than 250 employees / £35m turnover) who are either currently non exporters or who are just dipping their toes in the water and would like help to take it forward. They are highly informative and delivered by the team of local International Trade Advisers, all of whom are experienced in helping businesses export. Throughout the seminar  video case studies will be shown of companies who have used the Passport to Export programme to start their journey to export success.

Venues ­

18/02/09     Stoke     Holiday Inn (M6 Junction 15), Clayton road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 4DL

04/03/09     Birmingham     The Arden Hotel, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull, West Midlands, B92 0EH

25/03/09     Cannock     The Ramada Hotel, Watling Street, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 0DQ

01/04/09     Kidderminster     Wharton Park Golf Club, Longbank, Bewdley, Near Kidderminster, DY12 2QW

To book a place or find out more information please email roadshow@chamberinternationaltrade.co.uk­ or contact the International Trade Team on 0845 074 3515

­

Universities Host Special Entrepreneurship Week Challenge

The NCGE’s National Champion for Graduate Entrepreneurship, Cobra Beer founder Lord Karan Bilimoria, got Global Entrepreneurship Week off to a flying start at London Metropolitan University last Monday. He gave an inspirational talk and question-and-answer session for 50 students from Uxbridge College and Langdon School, East Ham who were about to tackle the Flying Start-Make Your Mark Challenge, as well as London Met students, staff from the Business School hosting the Challenge, and volunteers from successful businesses.

The school and college students, aged from 14-19, had been set the Challenge first thing in the morning along with 55,000 other pupils across the UK. What made this Challenge different was that they had experts from the Business School on hand to encourage their ideas.

Dr Lorna Collins, the NCGE’s Director of Flying Start, and Harry Rich, Chief Executive of Make Your Mark, were on hand to mark the launch of this first event bringing schoolchildren into universities for the national Challenge: to create an entrepreneurial idea based on seven Olympic and Paralympic values.

Since London Met is the capital’s leading university for sports and is closely involved in preparing for the 2012 London Olympics, the Vice-Chancellor, Brian Roper, offered an additional prize for the Challenge to support the development of the best Olympics focused business idea.

After a show of creative energy in their initial brainstorming session, the students got to meet one of the country’s leading entrepreneurs. Lord Bilimoria asked first how many in the room wanted to start a business. At least half put their hands up. “The most important thing you need to start a business,” he said, “is to really want to start it.”

He also tackled the old-fashioned view that university is irrelevant to entrepreneurs. “The purpose of the NCGE, for which I am the National Champion,” said Lord Bilimoria, “is to encourage all students from any university background to start a business.” He’s proud to have persuaded famous entrepreneurs who said education isn’t necessary to change their minds.

When he asked how many of the school and college students intended to go to university. Three-quarters of the audience raised their hands. “I resisted the temptation to start a business straightaway,” he said. “I wanted to get my education first. That knowledge has served me well.”

The students asked lots of great questions and left after lunch buzzing, ready to get on with the Challenge in their teams. And we’ve just heard that a team from Langdon School did so well they made it into the London Regional Final for the 14-16 age group. They will compete against 19 other school teams from London this Friday. Good luck to them!

Three other universities – Bournemouth, Greenwich and Leeds Metropolitan – invited schoolchildren to visit them for a ‘university’ Challenge. This is something Flying Start and Make Your Mark hope to extend even further next year.

Simon Phelps, founder of Fluvial Innovations, invited to 10 Downing Street

Last Thursday Simon Phelps, founder of Fluvial Innovations, joined other business founders at 10 Downing Street for a special meeting to discuss what impact the credit crunch is having on small businesses.

I was present with 10 other businesses of varying size and the Prime Minister, the Head of the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and the Chancellor, and asked to let them know how the current economic climate has impacted on Fluvial as a start-up business.

Simon, a Product Design graduate from Bournemouth University, founded Fluvial Innovations, www.fluvial-innovations.co.uk  in 2007. In 2007 Simon was a member of the first Flying Start Global Entrepreneurs Programme which participated in a 6 month long course in the U­S hosted by the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City.

And that was the week that was... the first Global Entrepreneurship Week ...

Whew....what a week for Flying Start!!

We held 7 Flying Start Rallies, 4 Flying Start Schools Make Your Mark Challenge events, and the first international online speed networking event for student entrepreneurship club representatives...

Many thanks to everyone who helped to organise these events and to those who made them so successful.

Thank you to over 600 of you who participated in Flying Start events this week.

We will be in touch to let you know about other Flying Start events at your university, to tell you about upcoming Flying Start business start-up programmes, and to let you know how you can make your business ideas a reality.

Global Entrepreneurship Week - Terrific Thursday

Thank you to everyone at the University of Derby for making the rally there today a great success.

Over 300 University of Derby students joined Flying Start this week.

A special thank you to Christine and Gemma and team for their help. Thank you to Dave Morgan UKIPO, Neil Butler Companies House, Tim Benson, HMRC and Luke Aikman, Bristol Developers for delivering such stimulating workshops.

Many thanks to all Derby students and graduates who attended rallies this week at Derby - we will be in touch to let you know about other Flying Start Programmes plus events to be held at Derby. We will also send you a download link for the workshop presentations delivered.

Global Entrepreneurship Week - Great Wednesday

Today successful Flying Start Rallies in Derby and at Royal Agriculture College in Cirencester. Thanks to the folks at RAC and to Careers team at Derby for making these events a success.

Special thanks to David Morgan from UK Intellectual Property Office and Neil Butler from Companies House for their help and support today and for running workshops at Cirencester. Also helping at RAC today were Jeremy Benson from Benson Juices, John Rendle and Roger Wilkins from Business Link SouthWest.

Tomorrow the Flying Start team is in Derby from 2:00 until 6:00pm and also at the University of Leicester for a creativity session from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. Join us if you can!! 

Global Entrepreneurship Week - Great Wednesday

Half way through Global Entrepreneurship Week...

Did you know that Global Entrepreneurship Week is based on the successful Enterprise Week launched by Make Your Mark over 5 years ago. This year there will be over 6000 events.

PLUS - Yesterday the first ever Global Student Entrepreneurship Club speed networking event. Matt Smith, National Student Entrepreneurship Club Mentor held online 3 minute speednetworking with folks from France, Spain, Finland, US and Denmark...plus Leeds and Manchester. If you want to get involved in great things happening in Student Entrepreneurship Clubs contact Matt.

Cambridge Brain Research Reveals Entrepreneurial ‘Hot Spots’

A new study by neuroscientists at Cambridge University published in the journal Nature has identified brain activity that shows entrepreneurs are ‘riskier decision-makers’ than their peers in management roles.

 By scanning the brains of 16 entrepreneurs, Professor Barbara Sahakian’s team revealed ‘greater cognitive flexibility’ in entrepreneurs when making ‘hot’ (risky) decisions.

 The evidence suggests this can also be taught. Find out more here.

Entrepreneurial Engineers off to a Flying Start

Entrepreneurial undergraduate and graduate engineers have embarked on a programme specially created with the Royal Academy of Engineering to help them turn innovations into businesses, gain skills to become entrepreneurial engineers, and launch environmentally sustainable solutions to tackle global challenges.

Women in the North Show Great Flair for Business

Over 30 women from across Yorkshire and Humberside attended three intensive days to start a 12-month programme to help them launch their own businesses and boost the number of successful female entrepreneurs needed to build Britain's enterprise economy.