Start Up Surrey Magazine 2023 by University of Surrey

START:UP SURREY FROM STEM EDUCATION TO HEART MURMUR DETECTION Meet the student businesses making waves at the University of Surrey

‘You always need that one person in your corner who tells you “you got this“. -Abi Weaver, Founderships Winner

2023:EDITION 1

DIGITAL INTERNS

The programme providing valuable connections between students and graduate start-ups in the Student Enterprise ecosystem.

EMPOWERING STUDENT ENTREPRENEURS

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CONTENTS 2 Editor's Note About the University of Surrey Student Enterprise and and how we support student entrepreneurs. 3 Meet The Team Meet the team who make it all happen!

HIGHLIGHT 4 Introducing our student Businesses Businesses that cut across several industries and are shaping the world.

HIGHLIGHT 6 The Founderships Programme The programme enabling students to focus on their business over the summer 11 IKEEP & iTEK Read up on our latest intrapreneurial training and industry placement programmes.

HIGHLIGHT

13 Surrey Digital Interns How we maximise internships to benefit students and graduate start-ups alike. 14 Hackathon17 Featuring our annual SDG team sprint!

15 PhD Commercialisation Accelerator Turning research into business with talented PhDs from all Faculties.

17 What else is going on? Find out more about some of the flagship opportunities in Student Enterprise for students, graduates and others to get involved with.

16 Student Business Spotlight: Roome Find out how Roome are revolutionising the student housing market. 18 Mentoring Network Hear from our mentors about their experiences. 20 Get Involved With Us

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2023: EDITION1

HOW DO WE SUPPORT STUDENT ENTREPRENEURS?

Surrey Student Enterprise Student Enterprise at The University of Surrey offers practical business support to entrepreneurial students from all disciplines who aspire to run their own business, create a social enterprise and develop enterprise skills for within their careers. We give all students the chance to explore innovative ideas, develop the practical skills they need to start a business and we aim to inspire the diverse next generation of entrepreneurs, change-makers and leaders to do better business at the forefront of innovative thinking with sustainability front and centre. We do this through providing free start-up bootcamps, interactive workshops, hackathons, innovation placements and exciting internships in SMEs and micro-companies plus access to professional legal and financial advice. We work with business experts, inspirational speakers, mentors and a range of businesses to enrich our support and grow the dynamic and cost-free network of support we offer to students within our inclusive entrepreneurial community on campus.

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Surrey Student Enterprise

2023

THE TEAM

Kat Mack Student Enterprise Manager

Ruky Toje Charlotte Picardo Busola Okewumi Harneet Sachdev Vinura Wickrama Appuhamilage Student Engagment Ambassadors

Dr Geoff Knott Phd Commercialisation Accelerator Manager

Kate Bray Intrapreneurial Project Officer

Vincenzo Roberti Entrepreneur-inResidence

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INTRODUCTION TO OUR

STUDENT BUSINESSES THAT FEELING WHEN

Meet Amy Obi, the driving force behind That Feeling When (TFW)! TFW's mission is all about empowering bodies

and elevating minds. With a unique approach that combines the joy of physical exercise with the benefits of mental well-being, TFW offers a transformative experience like no other. Through their all-inclusive wellness community, young people facing challenges can improve physical strength, boost confidence, and develop healthy habits. At the heart of TFW is a fitness journal that integrates mental health support, encouraging users to stay mindful – a crucial skill used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

ZENCHAI I started Zenchai in my 2nd year at the University alongside the help of the Student Enterprise. Our ambition was

always to offer a sustainable alternative to bubble tea, this industry is riddled with waste as you may or may not know, and we wanted to change that. We are at a really exciting time of the business where we are expanding, with a new store opening in Fleet, Hampshire in early 24' and another towards the end of '24.

NEXUS AUTONOMY Nexus Autonomy is a software company working on AI and robotics applications. Our primary product is a

drone automation system that provides automation solutions for drones through the power of cloud computing. Unlike our competitors, we offer a unified solution for all drone systems.

Continue reading at next page >

LAURIANN’S STEM CLUB University of Surrey student, Lauriann Williams, launched her business Lauriann's STEM Club, with support from Student Enterprise at Surrey in 2021. Her business encourages females and ethnic minorities to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) careers and encourages diversity in STEM. Lauriann's organisation is a social enterprise which promotes STEM through delivering outreach workshops, activities, and events, inside and outside of school. ''When I started making steps for my idea for a business to become a reality, I was very grateful to receive a £500 Mini Propeller fund award by Surrey Student Enterprise. This grant allowed me to launch my business during the Summer of 2021, by delivering our first workshop to promote the Brand locally and engage with the community''. To date Lauriann's STEM Club has been trading for over 2 years and they have delivered a range of outreach workshops, activities, and events within schools in the community, which has had engagement with community leaders, kids, parents, and Teachers. ''We are continuously developing and improving our workshops each year. Our workshops vary from Engineering, Maths, Science, Technology and careers & Employability sessions''. START:UP SURREY MAGAZINE

INTRODUCTION TO OUR

STUDENT BUSINESSES NEUROTECH BIOWARES NeuroTech Biowares Ltd. is dedicated to advancing prosthetic technology with our cutting-edge NexTech Arm. This innovative project aims to provide state-of-the-art upper limb prosthetics, enhancing the quality of life for amputees. Student Enterprise has been an invaluable resource, offering us mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to a supportive community.

YENU HEALTH Yenu Health aims to revolutionalise heart murmur monitoring. They’re working on monitoring heart murmurs using artificial intelligence, currently they can predict the presence of a murmur. Their aim is to empower clinicians and the general population to be able to get a prediction of a murmur in a non invasive way. For the general public if there is a murmur prediction they would recommend you see your GP for further diagnosis.

TO THE WORLD HUB Nduka Nduka-Eze, an undergraduate engineering student at the University of Surrey, is on a mission to bridge the gap for Black entrepreneurs in higher education. His journey, which began during his industry placement year, has led to the creation of To The World Hub (TTW), an organization dedicated to funding and democratizing access to key figures and resources for Black entrepreneurs in higher education and early career.

AFRONIFTY In the hallowed halls of the University of Surrey, where academic pursuits were the norm, I found my passion ignited by the realm of asymmetric cryptography and its profound impact on trust systems like blockchain. The concept of decentralization and trustless systems fascinated me, and I knew that I wanted to be part of this transformative sector", says tech founder Nnana Mbila. With a vision to empower African blockchain enthusiasts and creatives, Nnana rallied a team of engineers to explore scaling solutions. Together, they embarked on the ambitious journey of building Afronifty, a platform that would democratize access to blockchain and smart contracts. A breakthrough came when they identified a unique value proposition in the music industry. Cover art NFTs emerged as a niche market with immense potential, and they set out to harness this opportunity. The journey was not without its challenges, but Student Enterprise provided a steadfast foundation of support. Winning the Propeller Fund of £800 was a turning point, enabling us to test and refine our strategies. The Foundership Award funded by Santander Universities, with its £3000 cash prize, further bolstered our momentum. START:UP SURREY MAGAZINE

THE FOUNDERSHIPS PROGRAMME By June Webb

The Founderships programme, funded by Student Enterprise, Future Generation, and Santander Universities, offers support to student entrepreneurs. It grants cash prizes ranging from £1000 to £3000, with a top prize of £5000, enabling students to focus on their businesses full-time over the summer period. As part of the programme, a number of Founderships are reserved for Black founders and LGBTQ+ founders, aiming to foster inclusivity in the business community. Selected candidates receive a summer placement, along with a dedicated mentor, online group sessions, workshops, and a chance to win a funded membership to SETsquared Surrey, the business incubator at Surrey Research Park. This year there were some fantastic entries, highlighted below. The programme is generously sponsored by Future Generation and Santander Universities.

RenoTip Rui Silva, the co-founder of RenoTip, a lab plastic reutilisation business, was one of the incredible winners of a foundership in 2023. The company was founded on the premise that the life sciences shouldn't compromise the future of the planet to safeguard the future of it's people. Rui states that 'by focusing on reducing laboratory plastic consumption in real time, RenoTip hopes to empower the scientists of tomorrow to continue delivering valuable research without the burden of environmental damage'. With the support of the Founderships program, RenoTip will continue working towards the production of their 1st MVP, which constitutes their first big milestone as a company

Socially Responsible Content (SRC) Among the remarkable cohort of winners, Abi Weaver, the founder of Socially Responsible Content Ltd, stood out with her mission to revolutionize corporate social responsibility through ethical storytelling by changing the way marginalized communities and at-risk groups are represented in the media. SRC works with NGOs and companies to create spaces for participatory content creation that respects the dignity and autonomy of their beneficiary community. They produce transformative, ethical and transparent storytelling, placing the storyholders at the centre. You always need that one person in your corner who tells you “You got this“. When describing moments and milestones on her journey, Abi notes that you always need that one person who tells you “you got this” - “you can make it”. For her, that person has been Kat Mack, the woman who filled her with feelings of positivity, encouragement and support when negative niggles about being worth it, or good enough come up. Finishing a PhD with a 3-yearold child, being a woman in business and having blue-collar background have had its challenges, however with the support of Student Enterprise Abi further believes in herself, and sees her vulnerabilities as strengths, rather than weaknesses. The Foundership programme has accelerated SCR to market and will give the opportunity to further develop and build their business.

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Remaining Winners Dan Smart The founder of 'Debatts'. Dan was awarded a foundership by Santander for his new take on a social platform. The platform allows engagement and discussions between individuals on the internet.

Nduka Nduka-Eze Foundership funded by Santander for his business 'To The World,' which aims to change the landscape for young black entrepreneurs .

Adejoke Popoola Foundership funded by Santander was awarded to Adejoke Poopola, a woman looking to create musical opportunities for marginalised musicians, through Gracious Hearts Music!

Henry Ayres Foundership awarded by Santander, with his business Edibl which develops an environmentally sustainable source of protein by growing edible insects.

Jack Tattersall Foundership from Future Generation for his world-record-setting business, is Jack Tattersall with YogaDrum.

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Marie-Claire O’Kane The founder was awarded funding for creating a business from her research. Her company, Beyond Consulting, is dedicated to enhancing our well-being in the workplace.

Alejandro Sanchez-Pedreno Jimenez Alejandro Sanchez-Pedreno Jimenez, a foundership winner with Flurosense, a remarkable company specializing in fluorescent protein biosensors.

2023 Foundership & other winners START:UP SURREY MAGAZINE

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INTRAPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES

iTEK The iTEK Programme is revolutionising the way MSc students engage with industry partners. Funded by the ERA Foundation, the University of Surrey has embedded a new innovative placements programme, combined with intrapreneurial training, into several MSc modules, beginning with the Masters in AI. The programme enables students to collaborate directly with a diverse set of SME partners as well as large organisations. Students are tasked to address and solve industry challenges centred around electech issues. Electech encompasses electronics, electrical, electro-technical hardware, and embedded software, which together form embedded systems —boxes of electronic and electrical hardware controlled by their embedded software. This opportunity provides students with an unparalleled experience for industry knowledge exchanges and a deeper understanding of and adaptability to industry demands, setting them on a path to thriving careers in AI.

Priyadharshini Krishna "I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of the iTEK journey, which has proven to be an enriching learning experience. Throughout this adventure, essential skills in problem-solving have been developed, my entrepreneurial mindset has been sharpened, and a

iTEK as a programme also resonates with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Challenge Fund, addressing societal and industry challenges in key areas like clean growth, ageing society, future of mobility, and AI and data economy. This strategic alignment illustrates how iTEK’s projects contribute to a range of critical themes in the government's industrial strategy.

deeper understanding of practical applications in the IT

Partner companies have provided highly favourable feedback, reflecting well on our students' quality of work and the module's industry relevance. "Progress has been outstanding. Students have already created a method which works and we are now figuring out how to take it into the production environment." Graham Duffill, Reptile App.

Companies interested in providing an iTEK project to

industry has been achieved. This journey has equipped me with practical skills, industry insights, and a broader perspective that will be invaluable in pursuing a career in the IT field." -Priyadharshini Krishna

trained students can contact Kate Bray, Project Officer, on K.Bray@surrey.ac.uk to express an interest and discuss their potential industry challenge they would like to see tackled.

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INTRAPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES

IKEEP Surrey Student Enterprise runs the IKEEP (Intrapreneurial Knowledge Exchange Enterprise Pathway) programme. This initiative educates students about intrapreneurship and offers them industry experience by assisting businesses in addressing innovative challenges. After completing their IKEEP training, students are grouped into interdisciplinary teams of three, where they apply their newly acquired skills to short-term innovative industry projects. Each project spans over 4 weeks, and upon completion, students receive a £450 stipend.

“We have used the IKEEP programme at Surrey University twice and have been impressed by the calibre of students who have all successfully completed a substantial piece of work. Kate has always been extremely helpful and professional in facilitating these programmes for eco-shaper and the students”. - Tracey Carr Founder and CEO, eco-shaper Ltd

The IKEEP Project The business projects occur after completing training for students to apply the skills they learned and solve a challenge or complete a project. Students form teams of three and tackle a project interesting them. The project lasts up to 4 weeks, and each student receive £450 upon completion.

Dorina Thomaidou My IKEEP placement at Urban Data Collective provided me with invaluable practical experience as it exposed me to a real professional setting. Through hands-on projects, I honed my communication and teamwork skills while gaining insights into market research. The IKEEP placement enabled me to apply course knowledge to real-life scenarios, boosting not only my social media and digital marketing skills but also my confidence. - Dorina Thomaidou START:UP SURREY MAGAZINE

HOST COMPANIES That Feeling When A community supporting mental health, fitness and lifestyle. Founded by Amy Obi. Role offered: Social Media Manager

Yogadrum Aworld-record-setting business offering Yoga in Guildford. Founded by Jack Tattersall Role offered: Digital Content Creator

Lauriann's Stem Club Promotes science, technology engineering and mathematics in schools through outreach activities, events and workshops. Founded by Laurianne Williams. Role offered: Market Research Assistant

Socially Responsible Content A social enterprise and creative agency that aims to change the way marginalised communities are represented in marketing around social development projects in the Global South. Founded by Abi Weaver.l Role offered: Digital Marketing Assistant

InForecast Artificial Intelligence and purpose-driven software-as-aservice for construction organisations. Founded by Nick Stepanov.. Role offered: Digital Designer

edible

DIGITAL INTERN PROGRAMME

By June Webb

Surrey Digital Interns is a programme providing an excellent opportunity for current students and graduates (within 2 years) to gain valuable work experience within Student Enterprise Start-Ups and other companies in the ecosystem. The programme is designed to match talented students and graduates with exciting, paid work within a small start-up company or charity to gain valuable experience. Through generous funding from Santander Universities, the programme offers up to 15 fully funded internships in various digital roles, such as website creation, digital marketing, animation and more. Internships run during University breaks with an agreed start date between the company and intern. In exchange for their hard work, the interns receive £1000 for the duration of their internship role. Internships are largely remote, however companies and interns are encouraged to use campus incubator, the Enterprise Cube, as a base for meetings and coworking if the company does not have an office space. Company Founder, Tobi Eyinade said of the programme, “A funded intern was invaluable to my business. My content creator intern surpassed all expectations, bringing both design skills and unexpected AI expertise to my company which enabled some progress on my AI fuelled book subscription platform that has been queued behind other business development until now.” New House Art A creative hub in the heart of Guildford who has created an inspiring and inclusive space for all to be creative and grow their artistic disciplines and business. Role offered: Web developer

A UK start-up growing insects through the use of automation and modulartechnology, producing high-quality, nutritious, and sustainable insect products Founded by Henry Ayres. Role offered: Digital Marketing Assistant

Audico

Beyond Consulting An employee coaching business that supports teams to perform at their best, based on the latest psychology research. Founded by Marie-Claire O'Kane. Role offered: App Designer

The Booklady

Ab end-to-end voice concierge paltform for Hospitality, health and home. Founded by Arun Godwin-Patel

A book PR agency for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic authors which help promote their brands and attract new opportunities. Founded by Tobi Eyinade.

Role offered: Software Engineer

Role offered: Content Creator START:UP SURREY MAGAZINE

Sustainability meets entrepreneurship!

What is the hackathon?

Current champions

Hackathon17 is an annual event, organised by the University’s hackathon team consisting of Student Enterprise and a number of academics from each Faculty. The two-day sprint-like activity is designed to foster a collaborative, innovative, and entrepreneurial spirit among participating students. The event aims to impart an understanding of the prevalent global issues while encouraging students to develop solutions to these issues.

Elena Melluzzo, Asim Ahmed (not pictured), Fenet Habte, Vivien Diep and Rosita Ritch were the team who claimed victory in 2023. Their fantastic idea, an app to make music festivals more inclusive, was deemed the most innovative, well-researched, and viable product pitched. Joined by Priyanka Nathani in Asim’s absence, the team took to the skies for a 10 day bespoke social leaders programme in India with social enterprise, Project Chakra.

During the event, carefully matched and mixed disciple teams work towards creating products and services that address problem statements aligned with one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We actively collaborate with companies and charities in the ecosystem, who present the challenges faced in their business or sector. The student teams then select a problem statement and work intensively toward developing an innovative solution.

The trip offered them insights into the social and environmental issues with the city slums in Ahmedabad, allowing them to immerse themselves in the culture and meet multiple NGO's, and work with students from Ahmedabad University. The hackathon puts students through their paces with team building and ideation, masterclasses for business, marketing and pitching all in the space of a weekend, and their reward? A culturally immersive, transformational trip full of entrepreneurship and innovation is up for grabs for the winning team!

Elena recalls, “Our journey to Ahmedabad opened our eyes to the challenges and we left with a renewed sense of purpose, inspired to continue to contribute to positive change”..

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PHD COMMERCIALISATION ACCELERATOR N

ewly launched, the PhD Accelerator programme was created as the PhD community hold immense potential for addressing real-world

challenges and fuelling economic growth. The mission of the programme is to cultivate a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem within the university, leveraging the incredible potential of PhD students' research to drive commercialisation and start-up creation.

Comprehensive Support The programme offers comprehensive support to students embarking on their entrepreneurial journey, ensuring they have the resources, guidance, and networks necessary to succeed. Participants will have access to o a curated network of experienced mentors who will provide invaluable guidance, industry insights, and support throughout their entrepreneurial endeavours. Students receive specialised training sessions and workshops that cover essential topics such as business planning, market research, funding strategies, and more. The sessionsl equip students with the knowledge and skills

needed to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape. Through the PhD Accelerator programme, students will have access to information and guidance on funding opportunities, including grants, Founderships, Inventorship Awards and start-up funding. Building strong connections with industry professionals, potential investors, and fellow entrepreneurs is crucial for success. Therefore, the programme, in collaboration with the Surrey Centre for Innovation & Commercialisation facilitate networking events, pitching sessions, and collaborations to help students forge valuable relationships and explore partnership opportunities. By fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and providing the necessary support, the PhD students can unlock their full potential and make a lasting impact through their research. The PhD Accelerator programme embodies University of Surreys commitment to nurturing innovation, bridging the gap between academia and industry, and driving economic growth through entrepreneurship Get involved! PhD supervisors, and university colleagues interested in joining the PhD Accelerator programme can find out more by contacting Kat Mack (k.mack@surrey.ac.uk) or Geoffrey Knott (geoffrey.knott@surrey.ac.uk). START:UP SURREY MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT ON: ROOME Introducing Roome Roome is a 2-sided marketplace that allows students to find likeminded housemates using Roome’s bespoke matching algorithm, rent spare rooms from other students, and let properties from landlords, letting agents and PBSA’s. The platform was created by James Buck and Owen Redman, who were both University students at the time. We spoke to James, who graduated from University of Surrey in 2022 about their journey with Roome. What inspired you to start Roome? And at what part in your university degree did you start the company? The inspiration came from both my co-founder and I’s first year Halls experience. We couldn’t believe the universities had no systems in place to match students together based on common interests, values, and hobbies. We furthered our understanding of the frustrations felt by both sides of the market when it was time for us to search for private accommodation. We were shocked at the lack of available platforms and support systems. What were the steps you took when you came up with your idea? Did you already know about student enterprise? We first had the idea over the 2019 summer for our business. We were 19, as 2 non-technical founders with no idea how to create a business. When coming back from to university in 2019, didn’t know about Student Enterprise, but after asking for some contacts we were introduced to Surrey Student Enterprise that walked us through the steps to get started.

How did Student Enterprise support you in launching and continuously building your business? What did you find most valuable in the support offered? The most notable education offering that got me excited for entrepreneurship was the founders bootcamp that was run across 3 days in the February reading week. This catalysed my thirst for knowledge and left me asking some great questions about the market. I gained a fuller understanding of what’s required to launch a business, and it prepared me for a lot of upcoming challenges. The most notable support was networking and funding opportunities from SE. We were able to network with mentors regularly, be offered entry to national and global entrepreneurship competitions, access to incubators and offered the chance to win funding.

What were the key challenges you faced as a student entrepreneur, and how did you overcome them? Trust and being taken seriously: To be taken seriously you need to be considered a ‘thought leader’ within your space. You need to demonstrate a level of understanding for the market, years beyond what’s considered possible by most of the people working in the space. To do this you have to learn faster than anyone else. Access to funding: raising money as a student is incredibly difficult. Especially for tech platforms that require a lot of funding. You need to really embody the lean and agile methodology when starting a company at university as this will be one of your biggest assets when working with other businesses. We were lucky to be able to raise capital when we were still students, but you must prove to potential investors the opportunity, that it’s big enough and that you’re so passionate about it that you’re going to be the one to solve it. Time Management: If you’re a student, then you need to be able to manage your time effectively. For me, my studies took priority over the business in my final year, as I didn’t want to have wasted the last 2 years of my life on a degree I wasn’t going to compete. Serious time management is required to maximise efficiency of the business as well as your studies. How has Roome grown and evolved since leaving university? Having the ability to be able to work full-time on Roome as soon as I graduated was only possible due to our investors. We’ve managed to solidify Guildford as a our ‘home’ city, and we’re expanding the team and our business to 10 cities in the 23/24 academic year. What's coming up for Roome? What are your aspirations? Our re-launch at Surrey + 10 other cities. We’re raising £500,000 this year as well to take this from an idea 2 school friends had to a nationwide company. It’s exciting and we want to have Roome as the named brand for students looking for private accommodation. Where can people find Roome? You can find us on Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok on @roome.uni and you can download our app by visiting our website, www.roome-uni.com/ START:UP SURREY MAGAZINE

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WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? FOUNDERSHIPS PROGRAMME 2024 Applications open in February 2024 for the next cohort of Founderships winners, all with funding and support to work on their business plus brand new investor-readiness programme with SETsquared included.

SURREY WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK A place for entrepreneurial women students, staff and Surrey alumni, along with local women business founders to connect and scale their ventures with support.

PLACEMENT ENTERPRISE PATHWAY Entrepreneurial students can run their own business instead of taking a traditional placement year. Students will be supported by Student Enterprise, the University Placements team and the Surrey Business School. Our collaboration with local solicitors TWM offers legal guidance to the aspiring entrepreneurs.

INFO & FAQS

GLOBAL GRADUATE AWARD Students can unleash the power of influence, persuasion, and networking prowess while discovering how enterprise and innovation ignite solutions to real-world business challenges and getting cocurricular credits at the same time!

FIND OUT MORE

MENTORING NETWORK O

ur mentors are local business professionals, passionate about their specialist area and experienced in business practices and processes, and may be entrepreneurs themselves.

They volunteer their time to help students by sharing their practical advice on overcoming the hurdles involved in setting up in business. Could you share your motivations for getting involved with Student Enterprise as a mentor, especially in the areas of networking and event support? As a parent of two children at university, I see the huge value of adding real-life, relevant experience to our undergraduates. Volunteering as a Student Enterprise Mentor lets me share some of my business experience and give back. I love the energy that comes from being around people who are learning and discovering life. It's a refreshing change, and I naturally like to share my knowledge, so I enjoy the sessions. Networking is something I am passionate about. When I launched my business in 2010, I was nervous about attending networking meetings. It's a big thing to turn up to a room full of people you don't know and have the confidence to put yourself out there. I learned to love networking, which has become a massive part of my business. Not only have I met new clients through networking. I have also made valuable connections and even friendships. I wanted to get involved with Student Enterprise to help young people understand the power of networking for their careers. As a mentor you have also delivered workshops for Student Enterprise. How do your workshops help students build meaningful and lasting connections? My workshops include practical activities that help students put advice into action. I get students to pair up and practice asking each other questions, like finding out something no one else would know about them. This gets them really listening to each other, a skill essential in networking. I also talk about the value of being curious and openminded. Successful networking is as much about learning about other people as it is about talking about yourself. We bust some networking myths, and I share practical examples of the value of networking. Every new person you meet may have a valuable role to play in your network, even if you might not think so. The best connections may come from surprising places. In what way do you provide support during these events to create an inclusive and encouraging atmosphere for budding entrepreneurs? Being inclusive and supportive is about always being

Rebecca Newenham encouraging, open, and up for a conversation. Whilst I have a structure for my workshops, it's also important to listen to students and be led by them sometimes, too, so they get as much out of the session as possible. I definitely believe in two-way interaction, not just oneway communication. Tell us how you guide students in expanding their networks beyond the university, leveraging your own professional contacts. I have invited students to the LinkedIn Local networking group I run in Guildford, opening up opportunities to network in person with me. I also ask them who they want to connect with and then ask my network if they can help. LinkedIn is a powerful tool, particularly for networking, and I talk to students about how to use it effectively and professionally. Opening networks is also about attitude. Networking isn't something you 'do' – it happens constantly. I try to expand their thinking about networking and share examples where valuable connections have come from unexpected places – like walking my dog in the morning or chatting to someone in the pub. Networking can be planned, but it can also happen by chance as long as you are open to that. How would you define the most rewarding aspect of being a mentor within the Student Enterprise program? Could you share a particular moment when you saw the direct impact of your guidance on a student's entrepreneurial journey? I haven't had the chance to see the direct impact of my guidance on a student's journey yet, but I am enjoying the energy of being around the students. I can see they have bright futures ahead of them, and it's exciting to play a part in their development.

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MENTORING NETWORK F

ollowing our diverse pool of mentors, we took some time to chat with Dominic Brockes, who is a Finance and Multi-Dimensional mentor to our student entrepreneurs.

Could you share your motivations for getting involved with Student Enterprise as a mentor, especially in the areas of finance and general business support? I have always been interested in coaching and mentoring. I have led teams in various industries and currently coach Colts rugby at Dorking Rugby Club. I was introduced to Kat at Surrey University around three years ago and asked to become a mentor. How do you approach one-on-one mentoring? What strategies do you employ to tailor your guidance to each student's unique business challenges? It is important to understand the motivation of the student. Each business idea is unique, but the business standards needed to execute a business plan are generally universal. I first seek to understand the person and what they want to achieve. Could you describe your experiences participating in pitching panels? How do you help students navigate the financial aspects of their ventures? These panels are vital for a student’s business progression. Often, the panels are made up of diverse groups from different industry sectors. This gives an invaluable insight into the student (and the business concept). My background is in finance, so I do tend to focus on this element. Usually, I would recommend the “less is more” method to business finance. Simply, “do the numbers add up”? Finance can be complex. How do you simplify financial concepts for student entrepreneurs without a finance background, helping them grasp essential aspects of their businesses? Simple is best! I usually discuss the student's level of knowledge as it is often a mistake to assume a level of knowledge rather than asking! I stick to straightforward initial concepts and build up from there. Consistent sense-checking is also important.

Dominic Brockes In your opinion, how does understanding finance enhance a student's entrepreneurial journey? Could you share a success story where financial literacy made a significant impact? It is vital! Most business ideas succeed or fail based on the financials stacking up. These need to be robust and realistic, especially if the business is looking for funding. Investors simply will not engage if the financial modelling does not work. I have worked with two SE businesses that have significantly revised their business financial models having working with me. These have both gone on to raise finances and moved their businesses forward. Encouraging ambitious ideas while ensuring realistic financial planning can be challenging. How do you strike a balance between these two aspects when mentoring students? This question hits the nail on the head! This is the crux of success. In a few examples I have seen, the financial modelling has been woolly, incomplete, and does not stand up to scrutiny. Aside from the initial idea/concept, having a well-constructed and properly costed business plan is, in my view, the most important part of a new business. Could you share a particular moment when you saw the direct impact of your guidance on a student's entrepreneurial journey? I have always enjoyed coaching and mentoring. I just think some people want to help to develop others. I have been consistently impressed with the energy, commitment, and ambition of the young people I meet. To help their progression in some way is a fantastic way to “give back” to our community and to society. I have a few examples of students who perhaps felt that their idea was not a “good one” or were in need of support to move forward. This is the best reward possible!

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GET INVOLVED WITH US Want to join our mentor network? Interested in funding a programme? Interested in a collaboration Have a business challenge you want a fresh perspective on?

CONTACT-US

studententerprise@surrey.ac.uk www.surrey.ac.uk/studententerprise

@surreystudententerprise @surreystudententerprise

Find out more https://blogs.surrey.ac.uk/student-enterprise Enterprise Cube Library lower ground floor (at the bottom on the outside steps) University of Surrey Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH

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