Students will have the chance to demonstrate and develop their business prowess, thanks to Bristol University Business Angels (BUBA). BUBA is the University’s student-run investment company, devised to invest in students with innovative business ideas.
The popularity of reality TV shows such as the Apprentice, Risking it all and Dragon’s Den have raised the profile of budding entrepreneurs and provided a real insight into the ups and downs of following your business dream.
Devised through BUBA, SPARK:06 is a highly interactive week with sessions throughout the day and evenings, including time for students to work on their ideas and develop their chances of winning an impressive £5000. In addition to “Apprentice-style” challenges, students will get the chance to experience planning business strategy, marketing, creativity and innovation, product design and development, finance, legal aspects of business, sales and business operations. The learning the students gain is then put to the test in a final pitch of their business idea.
SPARK:06 is being run by experienced entrepreneurs with international experience who, between them, have been involved with over 30 start-up businesses and have worked with leading corporate institutions including, AstraZeneca, Glaxo-Wellcome, Hewlett-Packard, KPMG and Signet.
With experience covering all aspects of business operations and strategy, they have worked in a wide range of business sectors including: bio-technology; healthcare and medical devices; semiconductors; ICT; high-tech start-ups; engineering; consultancies and finance.
Their role at SPARK:06 will be to help students explore how business works in practice and to develop their own ideas into viable businesses.
Run over the course of a week, SPARK:06 is due to take place during 18th-22nd September 2006 at the University of Bristol.
James Barlow, Enterprise Skills and Education Manager at the University of Bristol commented: “BUBA was formed as part of an on-going commitment by the University of Bristol to developing student entrepreneurship and to give our students a real opportunity to develop themselves and their future careers.”
He added, “It’s been exciting to see the high quality of ideas that have come from BUBA and SPARK in the last year or so, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what this years cohort are able to achieve.”
BUBA is the University of Bristol’s student-run company, providing funding and intellectual/promotional support to student entrepreneurs.