Entrepreneurial LSBU students and graduates celebrate at The Artworks
London South Bank University students and graduates celebrate their entrepreneurial success with an evening of pitches at The Artworks ElephantLondon South Bank University’s (LSBU) Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute hosted an evening celebration to conclude another successful year for two of its start-up programmes – Rocket and the Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme.
The event held on 27 September invited scheme participants to pitch for five minutes about their business ideas, future plans and personal journeys, to a crowded audience at The Artworks Elephant.
Professor Paul Ivey, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and External Engagement, provided the opening remarks: “It is very important that students get involved in enterprise for it is something that is extending way beyond LSBU. It’s being replicated all over the world.”
Pitching on the night were LSBU’s eight graduate businesses:
- Wood Pusher Magazine
- Luz Consultancy
- E&C Associates
- Anares Studio
- Grow Up Box
- WUNDERKIND Sensory
- Epic Adventures
- Inpinnacle
William Thompson, Business Studies and Marketing postgraduate and founder of Wood Pusher Magazine, joined the Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme last year. He said:
“On the night I felt fairly calm about pitching. Given the chance I would have opted to go first and get it out the way but five minutes goes really quickly once you’re presenting! I now have a solid base for my pitch which I will only need to tweak going forward. Developing it over the course of the Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme has been a massive benefit.”
Charyl Pitts-Howard, Occupational Therapy postgraduate and founder of WUNDERKIND Sensory joined the Rocket scheme in 2015. She said:
“Demo Day was a great opportunity for me to practise my pitching skills in a safe, non-judgemental learning environment; practice which I can build on to perfect how I present to our partners, potential investors and our customer base moving forward.”
William was awarded best pitch of the night, winning him another six months of office space in LSBU’s Clarence Centre for Enterprise and Innovation. He said: “The extended office space is a massive benefit for the near future. My focus now is on selling ad space and gathering content for print. Having a secure base to do this from for Issue One will help immensely.”
Linsey Cole, Head of LSBU’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute, said:
“Looking at where some of our graduates started, and hearing their pitches really put into perspective how far they have come in the last 12 months. I’m looking forward to following the next steps in their entrepreneurial journeys.”
The Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme is open for applications for 2016/17.