FlyingStart Competition

Want to win a pair of VIP passes to Start Here! With Doug Richard?

The event takes place in Hull on Monday and the prize includes two complimentary front row seats!

This is your opportunity to get up close and personal with a former BBC Two Dragon and one of the most entertaining and successful entrepreneurs in this country.

For your chance to win, simply help us choose the title for our brand new book about developing your business. Click here to choose your title. Hurry the prize draw will close at 12pm today!

What would you like to see more of, at FlyingStart events?

Here at FlyingStart, we are dedicated to helping graduates, like YOU start a business and be succesful! 

At our workshops and programmes, we provide you with all the information and skills you need to get started, but what would you like to see more of?

Let us know by completing our latest poll, which can be found on the left hand side of our homepage.

FlyingStart Entrepreneur Meets Lord Mandelson

FlyingStart Entrepreneur, Simon Phelps was praised by Lord Mandelson for inspiring his community with his innovative flood barrier at a small business reception at number 10 Downing Street.

Simon established his company ‘Fluvial Innovations’ in 2006, to commercialise a flood barrier system that he developed whilst in his final year at University. He was selected by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) to take part in the 2006 – 2007 Global Fellows programme, which involved a 6 month trip to the US, where he was able to pitch his business idea and develop the commercialisation.

He has since been selected by STEMNET, funded by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, as a case study for secondary schools and received the award for the ‘Most Innovative Product of 2009’ by the Emergency Planning Society.

Lord Mandelson said:

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the British economy and we recognise what an important role they have played in getting the country through the recession. Simon Phelps is an inspiration to his community and a good example of why support from Government was so crucial over the downturn.”

Simon Phelps said:

“I can’t explain how inspirational this experience was. Although I had already received fantastic support from the University and from the Regional Development Agency, I was still very naïve when it came to running my own business.

“The access I received to key contacts was priceless and my mentor, who was a business entrepreneur in his own right, was so generous and altruistic with his time and insight. Importantly I saw first hand that you don’t have to be a genius to run a successful business – you just need to be focused and apply common sense.”

Events are a Big Hit on FlyingStart Online

The latest FlyingStart poll has revealed that events come out on top as your favourite feature on FlyingStart Online.

Events received 35% of the vote, with the mentoring system and funding database closely behind with 25% and 28%.

We've kept this in mind when putting together the sechedule of events for February and March and are pleased to bring you a fantastic range of programmes and workshops with great variety! From Start Here! School for Startups with Doug Richard and an ideas workhop with Phlip Taylor (The Apprentice 2009) to STEM workshops and a Women's Programme in Surrey, the next few months are set to be our best EVER!

Click here for details of upcoming programmes and workshops.

Don't forget to have your say in our next poll - "What would you like to see more of at FlyingStart events?" The poll can be found at the bottom left hand side of our homepage.

Do you have the skills to rebuild a piece of history?

Channel Four are looking for passionate engineers, construction workers, designers and architects who have worked on iconic projects, for a new series that will see parts of the legendary Titanic being re-built.

Each episode will feature a new building challenge using traditional Edwardian techniques, machinery and materials to re-build integral parts of the vessel.

If you think you fit the bill, email titanic@twentytwenty.tv  or call Kate Fraser on 020 7424 7721

Get Funding for Innovative, Ultra Efficient Lighting

Businesses will be given the opportunity to develop brand new ultra efficient lighting thanks to a new £1.2m research fund from the Technology Strategy Board and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The money will be available through the Small Business Research Initiative (BBRI) in their Ultra Efficient Lighting Competition, which launches on 22nd February 2010.

Business will compete for £40,000 funding in the first stage, to fund research into the feasibility of their projects, before the best projects are given a further £450,000 to develop and evaluate a prototype, which will then be subject to a 6-month vigorous field trial.

Click here for further information.

Budding Entrepreneurs Get a Lesson from Doug Richard

Over 200 students and graduates flocked to Birmingham University yesterday, for Start Here! School for Startups with Doug Richard, supported by Nacue and FlyingStart.

Doug Richard, a former BBC 2 Dragon wowed the audience with tales of his rise to the top, as well as offering personal advice on business plans from members of the audience and his top 20 questions on how to start a business.

Ashley Sutton was the lucky FlyingStart winner, who won a VIP pass to the event, including a FREE ticket, front row seat and a Mr Site Takeaway Website PRO package, worth £99.99.

For your chance to win an award-winning Takeaway Website Pro package, worth £99.99, to create your very own dot com website and get it online within a matter of hours – courtesy of Mr Site, Click here to complete our latest survey. The closing date is Sunday 21st February 2010.

FlyingStart Make Waves In Liverpool

Over 30 young entrepreneurs got a FlyingStart at a general business programme in Liverpool last week. 

The 3-day programme covered everything a graduate would need to know about starting a business, from sales and pitching to taxes and registering with Companies House.

Ideas were discussed and developed in practical workshops and the attendees met their personal mentor who will be on hand to offer support and advice for the next 12 months.

Laura Becceria, who attended the programme said:

"Future participants should not be afraid to attend because their idea isn't perfect. They should know they will be given the tools to find a clearer picture. The workshops were really relevant and interesting and having Simon as a mentor really helped me fine tune my business idea and set targets to make things happen."

To find out about upcoming FlyingStart programmes, click here.

Win a Website Builder Package Worth £99.99

It's all about YOU!

Here at FlyingStart, we want to know everything about you and your business aspirations to make sure that we are always offering the best possible service to get you started up.

So let us know about your start up basics, by completing our short survey, it will only take 2 mins and one lucky winner will receive an award-winning Takeaway Website Pro package, worth £99.99, to create your very own dot com website and get it online within a matter of hours – courtesy of Mr Site.

Click here to complete the survey. Closing date is Sunday 21st February 2010.

Internship Opportunities for Graduates

UCLAN is operating a graduate internship and placement programme during 2010. A range of short term internships are available within the North West area for graduates to undertake on a paid basis within businesses, public sector and other organisations. Internships are a great way for a graduate to develop his/her knowledge and exposure to the workplace, to grow a network of industrial contacts and to explore the hidden job market.

UCLAN are actively seeking unemployed graduates that are seeking to enter the job market and who are able and willing to undertake short term opportunities to enhance their employment options.

If you are interested, contact UCLAN Futures for more details on 01772 - 895958.

Business Heroes Competition in Aid of Haiti

Win £1,000 for your Business

Are you an enterprising young Brit or do you know someone who should be in the spotlight?

The sixth Daily Mail Enterprising Young Brits Awards is now open and calling for entries so if you or someone you know has made their idea happen in a new, innovative or inspiring way, what are you waiting for?

Run by Enterprise UK and supported by the Institute of Directors and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the competition is open to anyone aged 30 and under.

If you want to be in with a chance to win £1,000 and money-can’t-buy profile for your venture, then click here for more information and to enter.

The closing date for entries is 5 March 2010. Good Luck!

Win £1,000 in The Grand Ideas Awards

The Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas awards are now open to business within the first 12 months of trading (previously 6 months.) So if you’re a new start up with a Grand Idea, then apply now for the December / January award to win £1,000 cash for your business. Closing date is Sun 31st January 2010.

Click here to apply.

Do you have a killer idea that will impress the Dragons?

The BBC are looking for people to take part in the next series of Dragon's Den, so if you are looking for investment of £50,000 and above and think that your idea will impress the Dragons then practice your pitching and submit your application!

If you are looking for investment of less than £50,000, don't worry you're still in with a chance of securing some cash, as you can now pitch online by submitting a video.

Click here for more information and to apply.

Win a VIP Pass to Start Here! School for Startups with Doug Richard

Do you have the flair?
Put yourself to the test for your chance to win a VIP Package at
Doug Richard's School for Startups!

Starting a business requires special qualities such as need for achievement and autonomy, creative talent, the ability to take risks and drive and determination.

To find out if you make the cut, take our test.

We'll assess your personality traits to see if you would be a good entrepreneur and provide the results instantly.

You'll also be entered into a prize draw to win a VIP pass to Start Here! School for Startups with Doug Richard, a one day event that will provide an insight in to how to suceed in business. (Choose from 2 locations: Hull or Birmingham.)

Doug Richard, one of the original stars of 'Dragon's Den' will keep you on your toes with an interactive seminar including videos, case studies, Q&A sessions and much more!

Your VIP Pass will include:

* A complimentary ticket
* A front row seat
* An award-winning Takeaway Website Pro package, worth £99.99, to create your very own dot com website and get it online within a matter of hours – courtesy of Mr Site.

Click here to complete the test.

Deadline for entries for the VIP Package is midnight on Sunday 31st January 2010

Local Entrepreneurs Are the Most Desirable Speakers!

The results of the latest FlyingStart Poll show that local entrepreneurs are the most popular choice as inspirational speakers at FlyingStart events, with  Alan Sugar's 'Apprentices' as the least popular choice.

The results:

•    A celebrity – 3.7%
•    Someone from The Apprentice - 2.8%
•    A local entrepreneur – 42%
•    Someone from Dragon’s Den – 26%
•    A millionaire – 24%

The latest poll asks what the best feature of FlyingStart is. To take part, visit the homepage: www.flyingstartonline.com. The poll is on the left hand side.

Want to Meet up with Investors in California?

The Technology Strategy Board is a main sponsor of Clean and Cool Mission 2010, which will take 20 of the most innovative and high potential young companies in the cleantech space to California, in late February (20-26 Feb 10).

They will meet their peers, potential investors and partners and sector experts, and have the opportunity to attend part of the CleanTech Forum.

To ensure as many eligible companies as possible have a chance to apply after the Christmas break, we have extended the closing date by a week.

The new and final closing date is Friday 15th January 2010. For details see www.cleanandcoolmission.com

Join the Growing Trend of ‘Fempreneurs’

Sisters will be doing it for themselves in the new decade, according to an article in The Sunday Times. Jeremy Baker of the ECSP Europe Business School has predicted a sharp increase in the number of female entrepreneurs, or ‘fempreneurs’, with double the number of female MP’s, 100% growth in female-owned start-ups and a tenfold increase in the number of female CEO’s on the FTSE 100.

There are currently 1 million self-employed women in the UK, which is set to double in the next decade, spelling the end of the traditional housewife. Self-employment has become more appealing, especially to women who would still like to juggle child care with their career, offering flexibility, freedom and allowing them to achieve a better balance between work and home life. Click here to read the full article.

FlyingStart are on hand to help this new breed of ‘frempreneur’ realise their business dreams with the GO WEST programme, specifically for women in engineering, science and technology.

The FREE 3 day programme is fully residential and will include food, so all you have to do is come along with your idea and we will help you to develop it over the three days. You will benefit from practical workshops on crucial topics such as finance, sales, pitching, marketing and writing business plans, inspirational speakers and invaluable networking sessions to set you on track for a successful business!

So what are you waiting for? The programme will take place from 24th-26th March 2010 at the University of Surrey, Guildford.

Click here to apply online.

Win up to £25k Investment for your Digital Business

Dedipower, together with e-skills UK and the Sunday Telegraph are searching for Britain’s best and brightest digital entrepreneurs.

If you have a business idea, with the internet at its core that you think will stand out from the crowd then enter the 2010 Dedipower Digital Entrepreneur Awards for your chance to win £2,000 business development funds, up to £25,000 business investment and 2 years of free hosting.

A runner up with a great business idea or business plan will receive £2,000 business development funds and 1 year of free hosting.

Closing date for applications is 1st February 2010.

Click here for more information and to enter.

Competition: Get Your Product on The High Street!

Think you have a ground breaking invention, that's worthy of the high street shelves?

Here is your chance to link up with some of the most influential buyers of the biggest and best high street shops, under the watchful eye of TV Dragon Theo Phaphitis, in a new BBC series.

The best products will be selected by the buyers and stocked on their shelves offering you an un-missable route to your market.

For your chance to come face to face with the buyers, all you have to do is complete an application form with details of your invention. The best ideas will be selected to attendee an open day in February 2010.

Click here for more details and to download an application form

Completed application forms should be sent to: highstreet@mavericktv.co.uk

Marketing Champions Awarded £500!

Students around the UK went Guerrilla-mad during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009, as they competed to create the best marketing campaign on campus!

The task was to create a marketing campaign, based on anything of their choice, as long as it was aimed at students.

Through a series of videos on the FlyingStart Capture Competition website, they picked up a variety of skills to help them with their campaign, from Guerrilla marketing tactics, to E-marketing, PR, market research and more.

FlyingStart are pleased to announce 5 local winners, who have each won £500 for the best marketing campaign at their University.

•    Coventry University: Richard Burridge (studentfightback.com)

•    University of Huddersfield: Benaiah Matheson (Mind Elevation)

•    University of Bristol: Ruth Fehilly (The Social Enterprise Project)

•    Royal Holloway University of London: Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs

•    University of Essex: The A Team

They will now go on to compete in a national final in January, where the best of the 5 campaigns, as judged by FlyingStart, will win a further £1,000!

Good luck to all the shortlisted entries.

Win £1,000 in the Funding Drive

Think your business idea would impress a panel of the UK’s top investors? Funding Drive is offering you the chance to test your pitching skills out for the chance to win a £1,000 grant for your company, as well as a revolutionary exercise machine worth £5,700 for your University.

To enter, you need to submit a proposal online by 18th January 2010. The best 20/30 business ideas will be invited to a workshop on 28th January 2010, where they will be shortlisted to 10. The final 10 will then be asked to pitch to some of the best UK investors on 8th February 2010.

For more details and to enter, click here.

Put your business plan to the test and win up to $45,000

Do you have a talent for writing business plans? Then take part in the Global Social Venture Competition 2010, for your chance to win up to $45,000.

It’s the largest and oldest student-led business plan competition, providing mentoring, exposure for social ventures around the world.

Eligible teams must have at least one member who is studying any graduate business programme, or have completed a graduate business programme within the last 2 years. Operating companies can also enter, as long as they are less than 3 years old.

The first step is to submit an executive summary by 20th January 2010.

Click here for more details and to enter.

Win an Apple iPhone in the FlyingStart Survey!

Preston Graduates Make It Happen!

24 aspiring, young entrepreneurs attended the FlyingStart Make It Happen Day in Preston on Thursday, to turn their business dreams into a reality!

The one-day event included practical workshops, inspirational speakers and networking opportunities to set the students and graduates on the path to becoming their own boss.

Mike Southon, 'Beermat' entrepreneur and Financial Times Columnist took the floor, in a lively workshop, that was well received by the aspiring entrepreneurs.

Cameron Bell, a recent graduate said: “Great day, easily the best seminar I have been to and I’ve been going to as many as I can!”

Fellow attendee, Mike Crewdson said: “Mike Southon was really helpful. A really inspirational guy and his honesty and explanation of entrepreneurship was fantastic”

For more information on FlyingStart Make It Happen, click here.

Graduates Flock to Birmingham to Make It Happen!

67 students and graduates arrived at Aston University in Birmingham yesterday to find out how to become their own boss!

FlyingStart Make It Happen delivered a fast paced, energetic workshop to introduce them to the world of self-employment and business start up, as well as developing their ideas in a practical ideas generation session.

57 of the attendees pledged to continue on to a 12 month programme to further develop their business idea, or for help in becoming self employed. The 12 month programme consists of a combination of online resources, in depth workshops and one to one mentoring to turn any business dreams into a reality.

For more information on FlyingStart Make It Happen, click here.

The Majority of FlyingStart Members are looking for Funding

The latest FlyingStart poll has indicated that the key area, where FlyingStart can help aspiring entrepreneurs is in funding opportunities.

The poll: "How can FlyingStart help your business."

The results:
I need help generating an idea: 25%
I would like help in getting funding: 42%
I need mentoring support: 21%
I would like networking opportunities: 12%

So how can FlyingStart help with funding?

FlyingStart Online boasts a fantastic funding database, that is packed with the latest opportunities, including loans, bursaries, grants and competitions. Click here to take a look.

Don't forget, we also have a great bank of mentors, who are ready and waiting to help you with all aspects of starting a business, including funding applications! So make full use of this fantastic free resource, by logging into your FlyingStart Online account (or registering, if you are not currently a member) and ask the experts!

Who would be your Dream FlyingStart Speaker?

FlyingStart have had some fantastic speakers over the past few months that have motivated an inspired our budding entrepreneurs, incuding:

• James Caan, entrepreneur star of Dragon's Den
• Caroline Marsh, property investor and star of Secret Millionaire
• Mike Southon, 'Beermat' entrepreneur and columnist for the Financial Times
• Imran Hakim, inventor of the iTeddy and 'Dragon Slayer'.
• Claire Young, star of The Apprentice

In order to contine to bring you the very best speakers, who will help kick start your business dreams, we would like to know who you would like to see at future FlyingStart events! To complete our poll, visit the homepage (it's on the left hand side.)

Get Your Business in the Startups 100 List!

Calling all start-ups! If you think you are one of the UK’s best and brightest new companies, then make it official in the Startups 100 – a definitive list of the best start-ups of 2009.

To be in with a chance of making the cut, your business should be innovative and original, or take a new approach on an established market. You should be UK based and privately owned, and you should have launched from January 2007 onwards.

To be considered, you should complete the questionnaire and send it back to sarar@crimsonbusiness.co.uk by 5pm today (Friday 4th December.)

Click here to download the questionnaire.

The Startups 100 list will be published in the new year.

Over 170 People Are off to a FlyingStart This Week with Make It Happen!

51 graduates and students attended the FlyingStart Make It Happen Day in Lincoln yesterday, to learn how to become their own boss.

44 pledged to attend a further self employment and business start up programme, to set them on the path to starting a business or becoming a contractor or freelancer.

Charlotte Elis who attended the day said: “It was very useful and was good to find out what is out there!”

Fellow graduate Rebecca said: “It was all useful and applicable, regardless of where you are in your business plan”

66 budding entrepreneurs attended the FlyingStart Make It Happen Day at Walsall Campus of the University of Wolverhampton on Monday, with 61 pledging to attend a further programme and 55 attended in Coventry on Wednesday, with 31 pledging to attend a programme.

For more information on FlyingStart Make It Happen, click here.

FlyingStart Make It Happen Goes Down a Storm in Coventry and Walsall

56 students and graduates attended the FlyingStart Make It Happen Day in Coventry yesterday, with 51 pledging to attend a further self employment and business start-up programme.

The day was a great success with 'Beermat' entrepreneur and Financial Times columnitst, Mike Southon delivering an inspiring workshop on how to succeed as an entrepreneur and Alan Ward conducting a well received ideas generation workshop.

66 budding entrepreneurs were in attendance at the FlyingStart Make It Happen day in Walsall on Monday, with 61 pledging to attend a further business programme.

FlyingStart Entrepreneurs Are Pitch Perfect in Liverpool

The 3 day general business programme in Liverpool drew to a close yesterday, with the budding entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to a panel of experts, as well as their peers.

The enthusiasm and confidence of the students and graduates was highly impressive and the quality of their ideas was a shining example of how the three day programme really develops and inspires their business ambitions.

Victoria Astor, who dreams of opening a day care centre for children said:

“The FlyingStart Programme was fantastic. I found everyone really helpful, supportive and enthusiastic and they gave me the knowledge and confidence
I need to show me that I can do it. My mentor Barry has been amazing, giving me advice and goals. He is really friendly and is always there to support me.”

Chris Charlesworth who has a business idea to manufacture healthy, locally produced soups said:

“The FlyingStart programme enabled me to speak with professionals and mentors, who gave me an objective point of view. They help me to build and elaborate on my business idea and I am now excited to go back and work on it. The networking has also been very beneficial.”

For more information on FlyingStart Programmes, click here.

Entrepreneurial Ideas Are Flowing at Liverpool Hope!

27 budding entrepreneurs have arrived at Liverpool Hope University today for a FlyingStart General Business Programme.

The 3-day intensive and highly practical programme covers a wide range of topics, including business planning, marketing, sales, pitching, pricing, intellectual property, taxes, finance and more to guide participants through the early stages of starting a business.

The attendee's will also meet up with their personal mentors, who will be on hand for advice and support for the next 12 months to turn their business dreams into a reality.

Click here for more information on FlyingStart programmes.

FlyingStart Entrepreneurs Create the Perfect Christmas Present

Squid London have been voted as one of Shell LiveWires favourite Christmas presents for their colour-changing umbrella.

The innovative duo behind Squid London, Viviane Jaegar and Emma-Jayne Parkes attended a FlyingStart programme in January and it's been onwards and upwards for the duo since then!

They won the Shell LiveWire Grand Ideas Award, back in July, have been commissioned for the Tate and appeared on BBC's Working Lunch on 11th November.

Click here to take a look at the Shell LiveWire's favourite gift ideas for Christmas.

James Caan Delivers a FlyingStart to Budding Entrepreneurs

FlyingStart were joined by over 200 students and graduates at a workshop yesterday at London South Bank University.

There was a great line up of speakers including; TV Dragon James Caan; property investor and ‘Secret Millionaire,’ Caroline Marsh; inventor of the iTeddy and ‘Dragon slayer’, Imran Hakim and marketing guru Dan Sodergen.

Dan Sodergen kicked the day off with an energetic workshop on marketing and how to be great. He was followed by James Caan, who generated a great buzz among the audience with his honest and frank talk on being an entrepreneur.

He stated that everyone he meets is a potential entrepreneur, but the key to being successful is in how you execute your idea. He also recommended that people shouldn’t be afraid to call upon the skills and experiences of others to grow a business. Successful entrepreneurs surround themselves with the right people are able to recognise the skill sets they need.

During the question and answer session that followed James’ talk, he revealed some of the mistakes that he made in the past, that helped develop the career he has today. A member of the audience also asked him to invest in his business, which was very enterprising!

James was followed by Imran Hakim, who entered the ‘Dragon’s Den’ and achieved £140,000 investment for his iTeddy. As a young entrepreneur, he was a great inspiration to the attendees, advising them to find their motivation, as being excited when you wake up in the morning, is what it’s all about.

Finally Caroline Marsh, a leading female property investor closed the day, sharing her experiences and challenges as a black entrepreneur in the UK.

She started her career as an air hostess in Zambia before exporting spare parts for trucks, in an attempt to create a better life for herself. She then married and re-located to the UK, where she discovered a new career in property investment.

Caroline promoted a very positive message about the importance of giving back. She currently donates 10% of what she earns and invests a further 10%. A member of the audience asked when the right time is to give back and Caroline responded; ‘right from the start.’ You should always give back in any way you can, even if it’s only your time.

As the workshop drew to a close, the room was still buzzing with members of the audience desperate to speak with Caroline, Dan and Imran to further discuss their business ideas.

FlyingStart took the opportunity to speak to some of the attendees, to get their views on the day:

“I thought it was an excellent event. It was very informative and it was great to hear from a range of different entrepreneurs, who are from different industries, who are all able to offer different business information that was relevant to my journey, in regards to networking, manufacturing products. All the information I received today was very insightful, definitely a must. If you do another workshop like this I will definitely be attending, because it was excellent, very organised as well.”
Seponia

“The day went well. The entrepreneurs are very inspirational and it’s always a pleasure to meet people like James Caan, Caroline Marsh, Imran Hakim and also Dan (Sodergen.) He opened my eyes to a few things, not things that I didn’t know but it’s always nice to get that information regurgitated.”
Lamin

“It was a fantastic event, James Caan and Imran Hakim were very realistic. Also Caroline (Marsh) was very much inspiring and I think everyone should come and join this event. It’s a very good start(ing) point. I look forward to the next event.”
Pravas

“I thought the event was absolutely fantastic today, very energetic. The speakers were inspirational and it was definitely worth the visit.”
Manoj

“I thought this morning was very good. I thought the range of speakers was very good as it wasn’t just business informational fired at you about what you should and shouldn’t do, as it was quite inspirational and nice for people who might need a kick.”
Sully

“I thought the speakers today were brilliant, I really got an insight into how they started and the problems they experienced in starting a business. That was really helpful. I really hope you carry on and hold events like this throughout the country.”
Nicholas

“I found it brilliant. It was the first time I met James Caan. I’m actually reading his book right now, so to actually see him and reinforce exactly what the book is saying as a brilliant idea and I was to thank FlyingStart for this opportunity. Please let me know if there are any events’ coming up...It’s been brilliant.”
Emmanuel

For more information on FlyingStart, visit www.flyingstartonline.com

NCGE Global Fellows Learn Advanced Business Skills at BIS Head Office

The NCGE Global Fellows (a group of entrepreneurs selected by the NCGE to take part in a 12 month fellowship programme with the Kauffman foundation,) were brought together with a group of FlyingStart entrepreneurs for a special programme in London, to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The 2 day programme aimed to help the entrepreneurs, most of whom are either already or trading or are in the advanced stages of their business development, hone their business skills.

The programme covered topics such as international trade, sales and pitching, marketing, funding and intellectual property and benefited from a fantastic range of speakers including Wendy Torrance of the Kauffman Foundation and Gary Jennings of GJ International.

The Global Fellows were selected by their universities to participate in a 6 month exchange programme with Kauffman Foundation in America.

Manu Bhardwaj said of the Global Fellows Programme:

“It changed my mindset and outlook for what I wanted to achieve for my future. It taught me to think bigger and helped shape my business decisions.”

They were joined by Adam Jackson, Director of Enterprise at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, who opened the floor to the attendees, to discuss their experiences with NCGE and FlyingStart, as well as their perceptions of the cultural differences in entrepreneurship in America.

Many of the fellows agreed that networking is a key behaviour in America that should be embedded into the culture in the UK. Entrepreneurs in America distribute their business cards ‘like confetti’, which can increase business contacts and lead to potential sales.

Richard Mairs (pictured on the left) said of been accepted on the Global Fellows Programme:

“When I heard I'd been selected for the programme I couldn't believe it, what a great feeling, I was over the moon".

The programme inspired him and his business partner Jonathan Lloyd (pictured on the right) to give back to others and inspire entrepreneurship in young people.

FlyingStart Graduates on BBC’s Working Lunch

Emma Jayne Parkes and Viviane Jaegar of Squid London appeared on BBC’s Working Lunch last week, to discuss their experiences in starting a business.

The London based graduates, attended a FlyingStart programme back in January and since then have won the Shell LiveWire Grand Ideas Award and have been commissioned by the Tate for their innovative colour changing umbrella.

They credit their success to the help of FlyingStart and their mentor Mark Bailey:

"FlyingStart could not have happened at a better time. The intense yet creative workshops encouraged us and reminded us of what we wanted to achieve. Our first trial collection of 100 umbrellas had arrived just days before we attended and we sold our first ever umbrella at the Flying Start programme! We were allocated a brilliant mentor Mark Bailey whom we still keep in touch with and who is such a positive encouragement ".

Take a look at Squid London’s interview on Working Lunch on BBC iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nz20l/Working_Lunch_11_11_2009/

38% of FlyingStart Members Want to Become a Millionaire

The results of the latest FlyingStart Poll show that one third of FlyingStart members want to become millionaire!

There were over 300 responses to the poll, asking FlyingStart members to choose their business aspiration.

The results:

• Become a millionaire  -  38%
• Give back to society  -  23%
• Make a day-to-day living  -  23%
• Grow a business and sell it  -  15%

NORTH WEST STUDENT ENTERPRISE CONFERENCE 2009

Do you need help overcoming the barriers that are holding you back from unleashing your full potential and achieving your dreams?

Then register now for the NorthWest Student Enterprise Conference, where you will experience inspirational speakers and helpful workshops to help you gain more confidence and self belief and be encouraged to take action towards your future goals.

This year, the North West Student Enterprise Conference will accommodate some of the most inspirational entrepreneurs who have fought their way to the top and have remarkable achievements. These people never stopped believing in their selves and their abilities, and now they are willing to share their experiences and help you do the same.

To attend the North West Student Enterprise Conference 2009 on Friday 13th November at 11am in Maxwell Hall, University of Salford, book your tickets online through the following link: www.conference.justeasymedia.com (please note there is a fee of £5.)

The day will consist of:

• Inspirational speakers (Naomi Timperley, Baby Loves Disco, Dragon’s Den; Suzy Madge, Life Coach, Mountaineer, Motivational Speaker etc.)

• A selection of interactive workshops (Networking Skills, Perfect Pitch, Confident Selling etc.)

• Personal advice Help Clinics (Student Life Award, NCGE Flying Start, Careers and Employment etc. offering advice on Tax, Start-ups, Personal Development, Banking etc.)

• Lunch and refreshment breaks with networking opportunities throughout the day

• Sponsors’ goody bags

• Entry ticket raffle with exciting prizes at the end.

Want to live the life of an entrepreneur, without spending a penny?

Take part in the Shell LiveWire Virtual Business Challenge. It’s a virtual business game that allows you experience what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, without the financial risk!

The best part is – from Monday 9th November until 9am onThursday 19th November, Shell LiveWire will be giving away 3 cash prizes to those completing the hame with the most net profit!

•    1st Prize - £750 plus a selection of business start up books and Shell LiveWIRE goodies

•    2nd Prize - £500 plus a selection of business start up books and Shell LiveWIRE goodies

•    3rd Prize - £250 plus a selection of business start up books and Shell LiveWIRE goodies

For more information, click here - http://www.shell-livewire.org/news/simventure

Good luck!

Win £40,000 for Your Big Idea on Climate Change

Do you have an innovative, low carbon business idea? Enter the Shell Springboard Competition, for your chance to win £40,000 for your business. Hurry though, the deadline for entries is Friday 6th November.

Shell Springboard is another of Shell's Social Investment Programmes that provides a financial boost to innovative, low carbon business ideas from across the UK. £40,000 is awarded every year, no strings attached, to eight businesses with an innovative product or service that will lead to greenhouse gas emission reductions and is commercially viable.

Click here to enter - www.shellspringboard.org

As always the Shell Springboard team are available if you need to ask any last minute questions. You can contact them at help@shellspringboard.org or on 0870 850 7085.

Good luck!

Northwest Women in Business Awards 2010

Calling all women in the North West!

The Annual Northwest Women in Business awards are now open for entry.

The awards give recognition to women in business throughout the Northwest and reward the huge contribution that they make to the regional economy.

The Awards, organised by the Northwest Women’s Enterprise Forum (NWWEF) both celebrate the achievements of the women who are running some of the region’s most successful and innovative businesses and inspire more women to consider enterprise as a career.

Major funding for the awards comes from the NWDA and this year the organisers are proud also to announce unprecedented support from the private sector. The Awards, which takes place on Friday 29 January 2010 at Ribby Hall, Lancashire, are to be presented in association with lead sponsor Barclays Wealth.

This year there are 5 awards categories including a specialist Creative & Digital sector award. Deadline for entries is Friday 20th November 2009

Click here for more information - www.glasgows.couk/nwwomeninbusinessawards%20

Are You In The Future Top 100?

The Future 100 awards, supported by Striding Out, recognise the achievements of young entrepreneurs aged 18-35, who are running a business with a social and environmeYtal impact. The awards aim to raise the profile and support this new generation of leaders who are paving the way in sustainable business.

The Future 100 is supported by Striding Out.

Heather Wilkinson, founder of Striding Out said:

“We are looking for the 'Future 100' young entrepreneurs who are changing the face of everyday business and improve commerce's impact on the wider world."

The Future 100 Winners are applicable to be provided with:

•    media and PR training

•    exclusive London networking events and opportunities

•    business coaching, training and professional mentoring support

The deadline for application is November 5th, 2009

To find out more and apply visit www.future100.co.uk, or contact Quinn Simpson at quinn@stridingout.co.uk.

Ratemyplacement.co.uk - Placement and Internship Awards 2010

Have you taken part in a work placement or internship?

Then get involved in the RateMyPlacement.co.uk Placement & Internship Awards!

Held at Oxford Brookes University on Thursday 21st January 2010, the first RateMyPlacement.co.uk Awards sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers are designed to celebrate and reward all the stakeholders who contribute to excellence in work experience for undergraduate students in the UK. After setting RateMyPlacement.co.uk up with two friends off the back of his own experiences on placement in final year at Loughborough University in 2007, Flying Start member Oliver Sidwell now runs the business full time employing 4 people.

See how you can get involved at: http://www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/articles/ratemyplacement-awards/

Win up to £1,500 in the FlyingStart Capture Marketing Competition!

Do you have a passion for marketing? Or do you simply have great ideas for engaging students at your University that you want to SHOUT about? Then take part in our Capture Marketing Competition!

The competition is open to all students at participating Universities. If you University isn’t currently taking part, then please pass on the details and ask them to get in touch! (email: Jennifer.smith@ncge.org.uk)

Once your University is on board, register to the website to access 9 videos that will help you devise a killer marketing strategy, then carry it out during Global Entrepreneurship Week (16th-22nd November.)

Upload your results to our website http://capture.flyingstartonline.com – it can be anything: video’s, photo’s, documents, brochure designs, web designs and more! The best marketing strategy at your University will win £500 and the chance to win an extra £1,000 in the national final!

What are you waiting for? Click here for more info

MMU Students - Win a Laptop!

Calling all MMU students! Do you have a passion for marketing? Or do you simply have great ideas for engaging students at MMU that you want to SHOUT about? Then take part in the Capture MMU Marketing Competition!

The competition is open to all students at MMU - regardless of what you're studying.

Register to the website to access 9 videos that will help you devise a killer marketing strategy, then tell us about it by filling out the simple application form - http://capturemmu.flyingstartonline.com.

The best marketing strategy will win a laptop! Hurry though, the deadline for applications is Friday 2nd October 2009!

What are you waiting for? Click here for more info.

Another Success!! FlyingStart Creative Industries Programme

Hailed a “fantastic experience” by one of the participants, the Creative Industries Programme in Carlisle at the University of Cumbria was another great success.  The Programme held between Wednesday 16th and Friday 18th September 2009. FlyingStart was based on the Fusehill Campus and throughout the three days all participants engaged themselves in obtaining essential and priceless knowledge to help them in their quests to create successful enterprises.

One participant said “being part of the group and helping others to see their own potential was very rewarding and inspirational”.

The three days included talks from various organisations who gave wise words of advice as well as inspirational speeches. The atmosphere for the duration of the programme was energetic and lively with the participants networking skills being further developed throughout the three days. One participant said the Programme contained “plenty of useful information as well as inspiration”, whilst another said;  “I've just been finalising my Digital City Fellowship application and am glad I've had the Flying Start experience to inform my thinking.”

FlyingStart also had business mentors in attendance, of which each entrepreneur who attends a Programme is assigned their own mentor to get FREE help and advice for 12 months. During the Programme each participant gets time to sit down and discuss anything related to their business and create goals to help them to continue to move forward. A participant of the programme acknowledged that the “personal time with your own mentor is what really made everything come together”.

FlyingStart Entrepreneur Viviane Jaegar and Emma Jayne Parkes: Shortlisted for the Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of

FlyingStart entrepreneurs Viviane Jaegar and Emma Jayne Parkes have been shortlisted for the Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2009.

Their company Squid London is famous for their innovative umbrella, which changes colour when rain hits the panels.

The umbrella has so far been commissioned by The Tate and won Squid London the people’s choice award in the Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas competition, back in June.

Squid London attribute some of their success to the FlyingStart programme they attended in Bournemouth in January:

"FlyingStart could not have happened at a better time. The intense yet creative workshops encouraged us and reminded us of what we wanted to achieve. Our first trial collection of 100 umbrellas had arrived just days before we attended and we sold our first ever umbrella at the Flying Start programme! We were allocated a brilliant mentor Mark Bailey whom we still keep in touch with and who is such a positive encouragement ".

Viviane Jaeger and Emma Jayne Parkes have now been shortlisted, along with 28 others, for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and will be judged by a panel of 12 experts from the world of UK enterprise, who will decide on a further shortlist of 8. The final 8 will then take part in an assessment day, before a winner is announced in 27th October. The winner will receive £10,000, as well as publicity from an award winning PR agency.

Good luck from the FlyingStart Team!

Click here to take a look at the full shortlist.

FlyingStart entrepreneurs SquidLondon featured in the Sunday Telegraph

FlyingStart entrepreneurs Emma Jayne Parkes and Viviane Jaeger have been featured in The Sunday Telegraph's Business section (issue dated September 13, 2009). Detailing SquidLondon's progress and various achievements, the article by Richard Tyler also mentions the FlyingStart programme Emma and Viviane attended in January 2009.

Watch out for more FlyingStart entrepreneurs featured in the media soon.

Branding Talent - Win £1000. HURRY entries close Monday 7th September

Enter your seed idea, win £1000 idea development money, and a potential commercial commission with Shop Direct!

Branding Talent is open to small creative companies and freelancers from across the digital media industries, including advertising, design, creative technology, software design, TV, mobile, web, PR, gaming and film

Shop Direct is a massive (and massively successful) home shopping organisation that has moved online in a big way over the last few years. They are currently in the process of preparing to launch a new fashion clothing retail brand that will live in both the online and offline worlds

Branding Talent 09 is a project between Aegis, NESTA, Shop Direct and Just-b.
What are we looking for?

New ways of connecting with consumers - predominantly young adult female consumers - and of connecting them with, and involving them in, a genuinely exciting new online/offline fashion retailing experience

This includes (but not exclusively):
- applications; platforms; communications ‘products’; social media applications; rich media applications; content vehicles, relevant new functionalities; ‘widgets’

- Usable innovation in the space where digital media, technology, data, personalisation and content can be leveraged in new ways to drive a combination of shopping and connecting online

 How it works:

The best five (as selected by Aegis, Nesta, Shop Direct and Just-b.) will be awarded £1,000 in funding to turn their initial germ of an idea into a presentable concept

They will have one month to develop their idea further, before pitching to Shop Direct
What we need from you:

- 150 word seed idea
- Representative image
- A full biography

Ideas will be judged on technical feasibility, response to the brief, format innovation and entrants’ ability to deliver

To enter and find out more information click here

FlyingStart Entrepreneurs Question Business Experts

FlyingStart Member’s FLOODSTOP Invention to appear in all Secondary Schools

Simon Phelps, a member of the 2006-2007 NCGE FlyingStart Global Entrepreneurs Programme set up a company called Fluvial and developed a modular flood system barrier called FLOODSTOP in 2006.

FLOODSTOP has been extremely successful and has now been chosen by STEMNET (funded by The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills) to appear as a case-study in all UK secondary schools.

Cheaper and far more effective than sandbags, FLOODSTOP is lightweight, easy for one person to assemble and deploy, repeatable and reusable, and highly recyclable. It protects households or other premises from flood damage in a number of scenarios, and it is multifunctional – it can also be used as a road traffic delineator, saving local authorities and householder’s money.

As a result of the Global Entrepreneurs Programme Simon developed significant business contacts, in-depth knowledge of his sector and a broad range of essential business skills such as marketing and finance know-how.

From participating in the scheme he has been able to pitch his business to several business leaders and work on the commercialisation of his product.

Simon said:

“The time with my US mentors during my internship has been invaluable, they have provided me with amazing insight and advice which really helped me make headway with the progress of the business.”

NCGE and FlyingStart are extremely pleased to hear that Fluvial Innovations has been specifically chosen to demonstrate to students that they can have a rewarding career by designing and developing their own products, with an aim to boost the number of school leavers entering careers in design and manufacturing.

3 Month Training Programme for Creative Graduates

Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (part of University of the Arts London) is running a part time 3 month training programme for creative graduates starting in September to give them the skills, confidence and guidance to make a career in their chosen sector or start their own business.

What happens after graduation?

Immersion is a training programme to give ambitious creative graduates a head start into employment or setting up on their own.

It is a 3 month part time programme that provides the professional and practical skills and industry networks, to help trun your creative vision and talent into a commercially sucessful future.

Programme highlights include;

•    Pitching and presenting workshops

•    Communication and interview skills

•    Business and career planning

•    Networking events with industry experts

•    Ongoung one to one mentoring from industry guides

•    Problem solving and indentifying opportunities sessions

•    Workshops on positioning yourself, your products and services

You’ll be led by a team of specialist coaches and trainers, as well as a wide verirty of industry experts, inspirational speakers and mentors.

For more details and how to apply, click here.

Get expert advice from Bulldog Natural Groomin

As a young business, there's a huge amount of information to gather, knowledge to grasp and issues to cover off. If you're in this position, the British Library have help on hand in the form of Rhodri Ferrier and Simon Duffy of Bulldog Natural Grooming.

Great branding, innovative marketing (including quirky viral videos featuring David Mitchell) and a committment to natural ingredients have quickly put Bulldog on the map.

Now Rhodri and Simon are offering the chance to meet with them for a confidential one-to-one advice session.

The British Library have ten, one hour sessions in September to fill. If you interested, the click here to apply.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 2 September.

Poll: How much Money are you Looking for to Start your Business?

We have been running a Poll on the FlyingStart website to find out how much funding you are looking for – and we now have the results!

Less than £5,000                       = 34.4%

Between £5,000 and £15,000     = 32.4%

More than £15,000                    = 33.2%

The results are extremely close, with the smaller amount just edging ahead. But it just goes to show that isn’t a popular amount when it comes to funding – it really does depend on the nature of the business.

This month’s poll is: “What inspired you to start your own business?” Please visit the FlyingStart online homepage to vote.

Thank you to everyone who voted, your opinion counts!

FlyingStart Feature in an Online Magazine - Prospects!

Prospects, which is an online magazine for students, features an article in the latest edition looking at the effect that the recession has had on graduate employment and how more students are choosing to set up their own business as a result.

The article praises the work that FlyingStart, part of the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship, does for students in terms of mentoring them and providing them with the skills and support they need to set up their own business.

Asa Bentley, a graduate from Manchester University and a member of FlyingStart is writing a series of books for young children that focus on green issues. He commends the support from FlyingStart, as well as his University for helping him to get his business off the ground.

“I’m going volunteering in Nepal in August for 10 weeks. When i get back i’m going to try to hit it full time. By Christmas i need to be selling 1,000 books a month and i need to draw up a product road map, for example, which will set out what products we are going to come out with and when.”

David Bozward, Director of FlyingStart stated in the article that 60% of participants in FlyingStart’s 3-day programmes go on to start their own business. Asa is one of those people and David attributes his success to the attractiveness of his books to children:

“If you start a business in a recession you can do very well when we come out of it.”

Calling all Social Entrepreneurs: Get Financial Support for Your Business!

The First Social Enterprise Awards - Now Open for Entries!

Good news for Social Entrepreneurs!

The Social Enterprise Coalition is launching the 1st Social Enterprise Awards, which aims to
recognise and champion the vital work carried out by the most successful social enterprises in the UK.

The competition has three categories, one of which will award the ‘Best New Social Enterprise’, which has been operating for less than three years, with at least one year of accounts.

There will be regional heats in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales initially, then the 12 regional winners will compete for the UK National Prize in their category.

To be in with a chance of winning, your business will be judged on the following criteria:

•    Proof of impact on society and/or environment - evidence to be provided in the application
•    Evidence of innovation in approaches to addressing social and/or environmental needs
•    Quality of business - analysis of accounts, company objectives and future business plan

The awards are organised by the Social Enterprise Coalition, in partnership with: The Office of the Third Sector, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Angela Smith, the Minister for the Third Sector, Cabinet Office said:

"The best social enterprises are innovative and inspiring business models proving what can be achieved when social and environmental values are placed at the heart of business practices.

"There is a strong public appetite for socially responsible business, particular in the current economic climate, and social enterprises have a key role to play in creating a more responsible economy of the future. Across the UK, social enterprises are providing solutions to some of our communities' most pressing concerns.

"We are very pleased to be supporting the Social Enterprise Awards in rewarding and promoting Britain's best social enterprises."

The closing date for entries is Monday 28th September.

Click here for more information and details about how to enter.

Win £10,000 in The Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009!

There isn't long left now to enter The Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009, as the closing date for entries is September 11th 2009.

For your chance to win, you need to demonstrate that you have drive and determination to succeed. The winner of this award will need to show how they are entrepreneurial, that they have a robust business model, understand their marketplace and have a clear business development strategy.

So what are you waiting for?

Click here for more details.

Doug Richard\'s School for Startups Seminar

Following the huge success of our seminars around the UK, Doug and the School for Startups team are returning to The British Library. A must-attend event for any budding entrepreneur, "Start Here! Starting and Growing a Successful Business" is hosted personally by Doug Richard and is the cornerstone of the School for Startups curriculum.

At "Start Here!" you will learn:

    * The key questions every entrepreneur must be able to answer before starting or growing a business
    * How to write the perfect business model
    * How to indentify your product and your market
    * How to start an affordable marketing campaign to increase your sales leads
    * How to treat the recession as an opportunity, rather than a threat
    * How to make money and secure investment


What's included?

    * 8 hours of business tuition with one of the UK's leading entrepreneurs
    * Access to online resources and materials, including membership of VentureNavigator (see details below)
    * 12 month's free subscription to Doug's monthly newsletter
    * Accreditation as a Graduate of School for Startups (web-badge)
    * Lunch and free refreshments throughout the day

 Click here for more info...

Own-It Event - Protect Your Website

This specialised event provides essential knowledge for web design professionals, their clients and any creative business with a website. If you have a website this event is for you!

This event is for both start-up businesses and those with some copyright knowledge already. It will give you a range of questions you can ask at the event or work out for yourself afterwards. It may challenge experienced web designers and creatives and give you knowledge to challenge your existing portfolio from copyright warnings to ownership issues.

When: 23.09.09 at 18:00

Where: The Riverside Room, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BA

Click here for more details...

Job Vacancy - FlyingStart – Business Mentor / Team Leader

Title:         FlyingStart – Business Mentor / Team Leader

Initial Period:     1st Sept 2009 -  31st March 2010

Based at:   

The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship
Baskerville House
Centenary Square
Broad Street
Birmingham
B1 2ND.

Reporting to:     Director of FlyingStart, NCGE.

Application Process:     Please email your CV and covering letter to helen.williams@ncge.org.uk.


The person will be expected to:

1.    Mentoring on-to-one FlyingStart Business Start-Ups
2.    Identify businesses who would benefit from mentoring
3.    Creating and developing business Action Plans
4.    Maintain frequent communications with businesses
5.    Drawing up agreed action plans with FlyingStart businesses
6.    Implementing strategies and supporting businesses  in self-esteem and confidence-building activities
7.    Presentation of Business Skills Workshops
8.    Management of team during events
9.    Monitoring business start-up rates and performance statistics.
10.    Help out in other areas of the company as required.

Person Specification:

1.    Competence in preparing and designing mentoring programmes.
2.    Ability to work well under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
3.    Ability to multi-task, take initiative and work effectively without immediate supervision.
4.    Business Start-up knowledge
5.    Strong interpersonal skills
6.    Willingness and ability to produce high quality work.
7.    Good understanding of IT, ability to use all Microsoft Office products, website and editor packages.
8.    Diligence and dedication.

Getting A Product Designed and Manufactured

17 September 2009 - 11am-12pm at the British Library Business and IP Centre, London

It sounds simple. But as any experienced designer or inventor will tell you, turning a concept into a designed 3-D product can be more time-consuming and frustrating than you could possibly anticipate.

Every idea is different. But as solo inventor-innovators will testify, there seems to be a shortage of obvious places to go for answers to basic questions like…

    * How much input should a professional product designer have?
    * Where do you find one with the right expertise?
    * Who owns the Intellectual Property in an innovative design?
    * What kind of IP protection (patent/ registered design/ design right/ trademark) apply to an innovative product?
    * How many design stages should you go through?
    * What are the usual hitches that can be avoided?
    * What should you expect to pay at different stages in the process?
    * Is China the only real option for manufacturing?
    * How do you go about sourcing and manufacturing in China?
    * How to protect your product from being copied in the Far East?


Who should attend?
• Women with new product and start-up ideas
• Anyone already marketing their own products
• Professionals interested or involved in bringing new products to market

Booking details:
Time: 11am to 2pm (includes networking time)
Date: 17 September 2009
Price: £20 non-members, £10 Members (includes networking lunch)
Place: British Library Business & IP Centre, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB

 Click here for more info

2009 Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards

Calling all young entrepreneurs!

There are just 4 weeks left to enter the 2009 Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards.

There are 6 categories, with 16 awards up for grabs and a total prize fund of £100,000, including £10,000 for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

The awards are free to enter and are open to anyone from Merseyside, Cheshire, Shropshire, North Wales and Wolverhampton. The closing date for entries is September 11th 2009.

Click here to visit the website for more information.

Job Vacancy - FlyingStart – Graduate ‘09 Assistant

Flying Start - Graduate ' 09 Assistant Job Description

Title:       FlyingStart - Graduate ' 09 Assistant

Period:   1st Sept 2009 -  31st March 2010

Based at:

The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship
Baskerville House
Centenary Square
Broad Street
Birmingham
B1 2ND.

Reporting to:     Director of FlyingStart, NCGE.

Application Process: Please email your CV and covering letter to helen.williams@ncge.org.uk.


The Assistant will be expected to:

1.    Discussing with the client the arrangement for the event
2.    Design of the workshop events, including agenda and keynote topics
3.    Booking and supervising contractors such as speaker, caterers and accommodation
4.    Prepare and upload website content detailing the events.
5.    Design, prepare and lay-out promotional and organisational materials.
6.    Marketing and publicising the event
7.    On-site management of the event, making sure that everything runs smoothly on the day
8.    Ensuring that health and safety and insurance regulations are followed.
9.    Conduct web-based and other research as directed to gather information about graduate entrepreneurship, business start-up and HEIs.
10.    Answer queries/problems relating to the events.
11.    Help out in other areas of the company as required.

Person Specification:

1.    Competence in written English, ability to write and prepare press information, general corporate information and information for website.
2.    Competence in basic web design.
3.    Competence in preparing and designing promotional materials.
4.    Ability to work well under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
5.    Ability to multi-task, take initiative and work effectively without immediate supervision.
6.    Ability to evaluate information and sources, and locate ‘hard to find’ information.
7.    Alertness to new information.
8.    Attention to detail.
9.    Willingness and ability to produce high quality work.
10.    Good understanding of IT, ability to use all Microsoft Office products, website and web editor packages.
11.    Sound research skills and ability to assimilate complex information from diverse sources.
12.    Diligence and dedication.

About the NCGE


The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) is an independent company formed in 2004 with the aim of raising the profile of entrepreneurship and increasing the number of students and graduates whom seriously consider business start-up and self-employment within five years of graduation.

New business start-ups have a positive and dynamic effect upon the UK economy and allow individuals to follow their dreams and shape their own career paths.  Self-employment is more than just a career, it is a lifestyle choice. It is the aim of the NCGE to facilitate cultural change in the UK and make starting your own business a viable lifestyle and career option for recent graduates.

NCGE is already becoming a focal point for entrepreneurship by connecting with students and graduates and stakeholders, supporting best practice, providing information, brokering relationships, understanding barriers through research, influencing attitudes and inspiring ideas.  We work and collaborate with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), business, business support organisations, Regional Development Agencies and a range of other partners across the UK.

UK\'s Young Design Entrepreneur Award 2009

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?’

Precious Awards 2009 - Nominations now open for unique entrepreneurial awards ceremony for woman of colour

 Nominations are now open for the 2009 Annual PRECIOUS Awards for inspirational and entrepreneurial women of colour.

The PRECIOUS Awards, sponsored by Pearson plc, celebrate the achievements of women of colour in business and leadership. The theme of this year’s event is growth.

Nominations are open now until the end of August.

The Awards will be held on Monday 16th November, kicking off Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Ethical, Online and Young Entrepreneurs are amongst those set to be honoured.

Nominate now at http://www.preciousawards.com/

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.

Go Green and Win up to £40k investment for your Business Idea!

The awards programme, which is now in its 5th year, targets innovative, low carbon business ideas.

The 8 best business ideas will win an investment of up to £40k, so what are you waiting for?

Click here to visit the website for more information.

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.

Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009

Do you feel you are a unique and successful entrepreneur that can see you win the Shell LiveWIRE young entrepreneur of the year 2009? The award is now open for applications and it is your time to show people why you and your business are worthy of this award.

This award offers entrepreneurs aged between 16 and 30 within the first 18 months of trading the opportunity to stand out from the crowd and receive a cash injection of £10,000 for their business.

The winner will be announced at the ‘Shell LiveWIRE Live’ event in London on October 27th where a host of young entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to attend along with some famous faces in a series of workshops throughout the day.

Applications deadline for this award is 11th September 2009.

So log on and make your application now at: www.shell-livewire.org/awards

$uccess Mag - New Summer 2009 Online Edition, Available Now!

$uccess Mag have published a special Summer online edition of their magazine Click here to take a look!

$uccess Mag has one simple aim: inspiring young people to achieve.

 Make sure you take a look at this special online edition for advice on getting a great job or setting up a business in the tough economic climate.

Business North West - Business 2 Business Exhibition and Conference

Manchester Central: 28th - 29th October 2009

In the current economic climate it is more important than ever to understand business trends and be networking in person, especially face-to-face. This established and unique business event is designed specifically for time poor business owners, directors and entrepreneurs to do just this. By attending you will be in an exciting business environment where you will be able to learn cutting edge business techniques, listen to inspiring keynote speakers, network with likeminded individuals to help sustain and develop business as well as sourcing products and services from a diverse exhibition.

By exhibiting, however, you will be in the highly advantageous position of placing you business in front of these motivated business decision makers. Business North West provides a unique platform to communicate with potential and current clients, allowing you to demonstrate your products and services as well as be surrounded by hundreds of other exhibiting companies to exchange business with. It is a unique event in the North West region as it unites all sectors of business and is the only marketing medium that brings the buyer, seller and products together at the same time and in the same place. Riding on the back of our £100,000 and 360 degree marketing strategy including traditional and modern techniques exhibiting businesses can not fail to substantially benefit.

Since 2006 this annual event has gone from strength to strength and seen dramatic growth and development. It has aided thousands of businesses and business people and now plays an integral role in their annual marketing strategy. 

Tickets for this event are free, for more information please go to:

http://www.businessnorthwest.co.uk/index.php

The Morgan Foundation 2009 Entrepreneur Awards - Now Open

Encouraging entrepreneurs who are creating opportunities in the North West, North Wales, Shropshire and the Wolverhampton area.

The Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards were established in 2007 and are designed to encourage entrepreneurship in the North West and North Wales - whether in new businesses, young entrepreneurs, social enterprises or charities.

New categories were introduced in 2008 and the Awards were extended to the Wolverhampton area; winners came from across the region. This year an extra category has been added to strengthen the Morgan Foundation's emphasis on charitable aims. Over and above the £100,000 of cash prizes, the winners and runners up also receive valuable professional services from the sponsors and supporters of the Awards.

The 2009 Awards were launched at All Saints Action Network in Wolverhampton on Wednesday 24th June and in Liverpool at Barclays Commercial Bank in Chapel Street on Thursday 25th June. Applications can be made on line from 25th June until 10th September - browse the website to find out more, register and download application forms:

http://www.mf-awards.co.uk/

resource

BT Business Essence of the Entrepreneur award scheme open

New Programmes and Workshops

We have now released information and dates of the programmes and workshops that we will be running over the coming months.

Please click on the relevant areas on FlyingStartOnline to apply for a programme or attend a workshop.

If you have any problems using FlyingStartOnline to apply for a programme or attend a workshop please contact us at support@flyingstartonline.com

New Resource for Starting Your Business

FlyingStart Fashion Stars Make Big Splash

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.

NEW National Student Enterprise Club Award

Are you involved in an active enterprise club or society at your university and want to WIN £1000 for you club?

If so, until 12th June 2009, you can enter for a national award which recognises the contribution enterprise clubs and societies make to entrepreneurship education – teaching students and providing peer learning experiences focused on entrepreneurship and enterprise creation.

In the first annual Enterprise Educator Awards, launched jointly by the NCGE and Enterprise Educators UK, one of the three Award categories offered is ‘Student Enterprise Club or Society’. It’s designed for those supporting peer learning – collaborative learning enhancing the value of student-student interaction. The national Enterprise Educator Awards are the first of their kind specifically to reward those working as enterprise educators supporting student and graduate entrepreneurship in higher education. The three categories will recognise: 1) Enterprise Educators who are transforming the enterprise curriculum; 2) Enterprise Champions who are supporting extra-curricular activities; and 3) Student Enterprise Clubs and Societies supporting peer learning.

To enter your enterprise club or society, you will need to submit a 750-word case study outlining evidence of good practice; innovation; ‘making a difference’; and impact using the web form here: http://enterprise-educators-awards.ncge.com/clubs.

Deadline Extended for FlyingStart LJMU Programme

Sign Up For CHARGE

CHARGE is the new free monthly social enterprise newsletter for 16-25 year olds, produced in conjunction with UnLtd. It's being launched on Monday 4th May.

Keep up to date with the latest in social enterprise, volunteering and youth issues by sending an email to chargenewsletter@mail.com with “subscribe” as the subject title.

For more information, or to get involved, please email Laura Gilhespy at the email address above. 

Enter The O2 X Awards 2009

Be Profiled In $uccess Mag

• Your Name
• Your Age
• Your University (if applicable)
• Where you’re from
• Contact details
• A 100-word biog
• Your photo or a business logo (preferably jpeg).

FlyingStart Assistant – Marketing Job at FlyingStart

FlyingStart – Workshops Co-ordinator Job at FlyingStart

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

Web Editor Job at NCGE/FlyingStart

SIFE Win For King's College London

NCGE Twitter

Twitter Updates

follow me on Twitter

Essentially Free Software and Product Licenses for Start-ups

Microsoft's BizSpark programme for start-ups is quick and easy way to gain access to great software and production licenses. If you are a start-up - or the students you work with are developing start-ups - then you need to check out the benefits.

Here are the criteria

• Actively engaged in development of a software-based product or service that will form a core piece of your current or intended business.
• Your company is privately held, and in business for less than three years.
• Has less than US $1 million in annual revenue.

Here's what you get from the program:

• Development Tools, Platform Technologies and Production Licenses
• All the software included in the Microsoft® Visual Studio® Team System Team Suite (VSTS) with MSDN Premium subscription
• Expression Studio Version 2
• VSTS Team Foundation Server (standard edition)
• Production use rights to host a "software as a service" solution (developed during participation in the BizSpark Program, on any platform) over the Internet, with regard to the latest versions of Microsoft products including:
• Microsoft Windows Server® (all editions up to and including Enterprise)
• Microsoft SQL Server (all editions)
• Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server
• Microsoft System Center
• Microsoft BizTalk Server.
  

In addition to the core program offering, BizSpark startups will be eligible for other Microsoft offerings, including Microsoft Azure Services Platform - The Azure Services Platform is the collection of Foundational, Developer and Live Platform Service such as Windows Azure, Live Mesh, Compute Services, Storage Services, Workflow Services, Identity Services, Connectivity Services, SQL Data Services. All developers will have access to the Azure Services Platform developer tools which includes the local development fabric.

What's the catch?

There isn't one! After three years we will require you pay $100USD exit fee, that's it! If you want to continue with the software and licenses, you simply pay for your MSDN subscriptions the regular way, and if you want to keep using your production licenses, you pay for those using the Service Provider Licensing program.

What is the community saying about the program?

Don't just take our word for it, find out what the community thinks! Click here.

How do I sign up!?

Simply email ebtuk@microsoft.com with the following details:

• Confirmation that you meet each of the qualification criteria for the Programme
• Company name
• Years of trading
• Your turnover
  

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.

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

Can you design the must-have toy for 2010?

Silicon Valley Snapshot From The BBC

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

Two-For-One Ticket Offer - Mothers of Invention

**Buy one ticket, get one free for student entrepreneurs

Celebrating International Women's Month

Date: Tuesday 10 March 2009

Time: 18.15-21.00

Venue: British Library Conference Centre

Price: £10 (£7.50 concessions)

**Get two tickets for the price of one by quoting ‘mothers’ when you book over the phone

If you have a great business idea, long to pursue your dreams or just want to be your own boss, the British Library is bringing together four trailblazing British women for an evening of inspiration.  

In celebration of International Women's Month, 'Mothers of Invention' is a rare opportunity to hear from, and put your questions to, a group of pioneers from fields as diverse as film, retail, marketing and design.

Speakers:

• Gurinder Chadha OBE, director of Bend it Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice
• Liz Jackson MBE, founder of telemarketing business Great Guns
• Laura Tenison, who runs award-winning mother and baby brand JoJo Maman Bebe
• Dee Wright, the brains behind The Hairforce, an innovative nit and lice removal service
  

Book by calling the Box Office on +44 (0)1937 546546

Find out more at: www.bl.uk/bipc/inspiring

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.

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.

Angels Den - Where entrepreneurs and investors meet

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

• 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.
  

Global Entrepreneurs Vie For NESTA Follow-On Funding

PANDA Young People’s Day: Working in the Performing Arts

Saturday 7th February 2009 - The Zion Arts Centre

Are you a young person? Do you love to be creative? Do you want to find out more about careers in the performing arts?

PANDA (Performing Arts Network and Development Agency) are holding a free events day for 14-21 year olds to find out more about their options for working in the performing arts sector. The day will include:

•    A range of practical workshops run by artists and professionals that will give you a taste of the different careers in the performing arts sector

•    A marketplace of different organisations who can offer professional advice, provide opportunities and help you take the next step

•    A chance to interview a range of people who are already working in the performing arts

ShowStarter Young People’s Day is free but places are limited. To register for a place or for more information contact Nicky Hatton at nicky@panda-arts.org.uk or on 0161 274 0652.

Student Entrepreneurship News

Enterprising Young Brit

The Women on their Way Awards

The Women on their Way Awards are being held on 27th February in Birmingham. They are about recognising and celebrating the achievements of women in the Midlands. The ten awards include those for women in business and in corporate life. Nominate yourself or colleagues and find more information at www.womenontheirway.co.uk

Programme Applications

Please can you ensure that if you are applying for a Flying Start Programme that you fully explain your 'Business Idea' and 'Personal Qualities' to enhance your application form. The more information you put in about your idea- the more likely you are to secure a place!

Remember that you can now edit and save your form at any time!

Log in Issues

If you are experiencing difficulties logging into the Flying Start Online system, with the message 'Invalid username and password' appearing, then please try the steps below to rectify the problem:

If using 'Mozilla Firefox' browser:

1. Click on 'Tools '

2. 'Clear private data'

3. Ensure that the boxes 'Cookies' and 'Cache' are checked, and the other boxes are unchecked

4. Click 'clear private data' and try logging in again.

If using 'Internet Explorer' browser:

1. Click 'Tools'

2.  'Internet options'

3. Under the section entitled 'Browsing History'  click 'Delete' *WARNING* In doing so you will lose your history of any previous websites you have visited, including passwords, cookies and web form information.

4. Then click 'Apply' and 'OK'

If you still experience difficulties then please email  aswin.sundaram@ncge.org.uk

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

The Key to Export Success Seminars

Student Technology Day - hosted by Microsoft with Steve Ballmer

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

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

Global Entrepreneurship Week - Terrific Thursday

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.

Online Speed Networking

Taking place NOW!! From 6pm on Tuesday 18th November during the first ever Global Entrepreneurship Week,
this event will be coordinated by Make Your Mark, NCGE Flying Start and YouNoodle.

Speednetworking is a fun way to unleash energy, share ideas and make connections - fast. To capture the true spirit of speednetworking we are doing something that has never been tried before. We have been working with www.speeddate.com to repurpose the SpeedDate site for business networking. With a specially created site for us to use without the danger of speeddaters interuppting us, we will be conducting enforced 3 minute video speednetworking sessions.

To get involved follow the steps below:

1. You must have a computer with internet access, a webcam and a microphone (preferably a headset)
2. Go to networking.speeddate.com/index.php?page=signup&section=join
3. You must say you are Female seeking Female in order for the matching to work
4. You must say you are in the United States and use the zip code 94107 for the matching to work
5. Skip the friend import / invite by clicking "I have no friends"
6. Skip filling out the profile. Perhaps a photo / club logo and brief description would be nice though.
7. At 6pm on Tuesday 18th click "Start Speeddating"
8. You need to wink at people before it will connect you, so browse the profiles with the arrow buttons and wink at everyone!

This may well be the very first professional, enforced 3 minute online video speednetworking session ever, so we are all breaking ground here and trying to make existing technology fit something it wasn’t made for. If you have any problems add me (msmith101) and Bob Goodson from YouNoodle (bobgoodson) on skype and we will be able to give you support.

Speednetworking NOW!!!

Go to www.speeddate.com now and get online with Student Entrepreneur Club contacts and representatives from around the world.

With a specially created site for us to use without the danger of speeddaters interuppting us, we will be conducting
enforced 3 minute video speednetworking sessions.

To get involved follow the steps below:
1. You must have a computer with internet access, a webcam and a microphone
(preferably a headset)
2. Go to networking.speeddate.com/index.php?page=signup&section=join
3. You must say you are Female seeking Female in order for the matching to work
4. You must say you are in the United States and use the zip code 94107 for the matching to work
5. Skip the friend import / invite by clicking "I have no friends"
6. Skip filling out the profile. Perhaps a photo / club logo and brief description would be nice though.
7. At 6pm on Tuesday 18th click "Start Speeddating"
8. You need to wink at people before it will connect you, so browse the profiles with the arrow buttons and wink at everyone!

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.

Climate Change Challenge Prize Fund Launched

Tomorrow - North West Student Enterprise Conference - you can still register!

Take part in a Cabinet Office!

An opportunity to take part in a Cabinet Office event during Global Enterprise Week. We are looking for volunteers who are involved in or who are running a social enterprise and who wish to meet with government officials. If you are interested please contact Lorna Collins at ­lorna.collins@ncge.org.uk

Girls in IT Event - hosted by Microsoft

The idea behind the event is to encourage more students to pursue IT-related careers and enable more young people to b­enefit from inspiring technology-related education that is valued by employers.  The goal is encourage students to regard IT careers as popular and aspirational, with the sector appealing equally to male and female students, and technology-related education in schools, colleges and universities supports the future needs of the UK in the global economy. This event is aimed at girls, but future work will be broadened to include both genders. For more information contact Baldeep.channa@ncge.org.uk

Welcome to the new look Flying Start Online!

Joining forces with studentgems.com

Get a Flying Start on the MYM Schools Challenge

Entrepreneurial Engineers off to a Flying Start

Women in the North Show Great Flair for Business