Student and Graduate Enterprise Year in Review 2019-20

Careers and Enterprise

Student and Graduate Enterprise Year in Review 2019/20

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Whilst we are disappointed not to be hosting this year’s Celebration of Enterprise event, Careers and Enterprise are delighted to present this booklet showcasing the entrepreneurial achievements of our students.

We had six exceptional finalists in this year’s Blueprint Startup Challenge and we’re excited to see these how these new ventures progress following the competition. The winners are announced in the accompanying video.

Finally, we wanted to give a special mention to the fabulous achievements of our Enactus Durham team. They recently made the final round of the UK National Competition, ranking them as one of the top four teams in the country.

We have exciting plans for the next academic year and we’re prepared to continue our progress despite the challenges that face us all.

Introduction from Marek Tokarski, Senior Enterprise Manager

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About the Blueprint Startup Challenge Now in its 18th year, the Blueprint Startup Challenge continues to provide a launch pad for exciting startup ventures. It fosters, develops and recognises the entrepreneurial talents and achievements of the University's students. The Blueprint Startup Challenge is much more than a competition. Participants have access to a wide range of support delivered by Careers and Enterprise, including: one-to-one business coaching sessions, access to industry experts, a

workshop programme, networking events, grant funding opportunities and much more.

As students progressed with the development of their new ventures, many entered the competition, which has a share of £9,000 prize money. Six finalists, selected on the strength of their business plans, competed in the final round where they had 10 minutes to pitch their propositions to a panel of judges at Durham Castle in March.

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18 startup workshops and networking events.

Total individuals engaged:

177 Startup Support Facts

528 students that have accessed our services this year

7 PGR sessions with

52 students participating

234 coaching sessions which helped

over 100 students move their ideas forward and connect them to specialist advice and market opportunities

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7 innovation-led Game Changer sessions including a weekend bootcamp.

204 students took part

 Over £27,000 in funding provided to 20 new ventures

6 Blueprint Startup Challenge Finalists

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Congratulations to the Blueprint Startup Challenge Finalists

Fintare – Jerzy Foss Fintare will increase the speed, convenience and security of shortterm rentals.

ChatPro – Harry Serle ChatPro is a secure, accountable and controlled instant messaging platform for organisations that work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

CROP MI – Hannah Hawken, Zhuoqing Gu, Jimmy Radwan and Sean Liew

CROP MI strives to combat the issue of air and plastic pollution in China by utilising the byproducts of rice production in order to provide an alternative drinking straw.

Scientistt – Hassan Mahmudul, Alexander Czern and Callum Elson Scientistt is a web-based platform creating a community of passionate students and researchers.

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Natural Grace – Grace Osborne Natural Grace redefines female athleisure wear using recycled ocean plastic fabrics.

Coming soon...

Hazan Venture Lab A space for entrepreneurial students and graduates to connect, collaborate and form a community at Durham University.

The Book Exchange – Victoria Eslami and Abbey Gould The Book Exchange is an online platform that allows University students to buy and sell second-hand textbooks at an affordable price.

Artist Impression of Hazan Venture Lab

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What Happened to 2019's Award Winners?

Plastech – Natasha Boulding, Scott Bush and Phil Buckley (Winners) Mission: Putting yesterday's plastic into today's technologies Plastech became the first ever student spin out of Durham University.

Patent pending Raising seed round investment Competition winners: Finalists of the global DBS Foundation Social Impact Prize Winner of If We Can You Can Ones-to-Watch Award Tata Varsity Pitch Disruptive Business Category Winner Bright SCIdea Challenge winners Finalists in the Shell LiveWIRE Top Ten Innovators Global Awards.

FSB Environmental Business of the Year Finalist

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Agrisea – Luke Young (Highly Commended Award) Mission: genetically fortifying crops so that they may grow in the oceans.

Luke met his Co-Founder Rory Horby (also a recent Durham University Graduate) They were accepted on to Indie Bio, the world’s leading bioscience accelerator, in San Francisco.

Agrisea has raised over $400,000, are in the last stages of creating their working prototype, they have also secured a space in the Bahamas to have their first Ocean Pilot Plot, are in discussions with governments around the world, and featured in Forbes Magazine.

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Enterprising Durham Student Organisations

Enactus Durham Enactus Durham is a social-enterprise organisation that uses entrepreneurial action to address socio-economic and environmental issues facing communities both locally and internationally.

In April, the team presented two of its projects at the Enactus UK National Competition: The Ugly Fruit Group: Partnering with local supermarkets, catering providers and Hartlepool Food Bank, this project helps to reduce food waste and at the same time combats the problem of food poverty.

Shakti: Partnering with local charity, Many Hands UK, Shakti helps transform the lives of people who have suffered substantial burns injuries, provides quality to underwear to school girls in India, whilst at the same time preventing surplus clothing material from going to landfill.

Building on last year’s success of being crowned the ‘UK’s most improved team’, this year the team made it through to the final round of the competition, ranking them in the top four teams in the UK.

Entrepreneurs Durham Entrepreneurs Durham helps students to develop an entrepreneurial skill-set, a creative outlook, and a business savvy mindset.

They do this by running workshops, conferences, challenges and events aimed at getting students’ creativity flowing.

With over 2,500 members they are one of the largest student-led organisations of its kind in the UK.

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Thank You Careers and Enterprise would like to express our gratitude to...

Our workshop facilitators, mentors and judges from: Mike Addison Far North Stand Up Marketing New Results Limited FIRST Short Richardson & Forth Solicitors Jackie Dack Finnmark Sauna CDC Enterprise Agency North Star Ventures Ignite Explain Market Research Business Investment Group Innovation Supernetwork

Colleagues across the institution, including: Senior Leadership Team Research and Innovation Services Development and Alumni Relations Office Academic Departments Durham Centre for Academic Development

We appreciate all your amazing support and look forward to working together in the future.

With special thanks to...

And extra special thanks to...

Careers and Enterprise Palatine Centre Stockton Road Durham DH1 3LE

T: +44(0)191 334 1437

Visit the University's Facebook page facebook.com/ startupatdurham

View our latest snaps on Instagram @dugamechanger

durham.ac.uk/careers/students/enterprise

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