On Awards!

X-Forces Enterprise is excited to announce a very special opportunity for the winners of the business categories of the Soldiering

From 2023, the winners of the Soldiering On Awards Business Start Up, Business Scale Up, and Business Community Impact Awards, will become Entrepreneurs in Residence at Anglia Ruskin University.

The Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiR) will have the chance to work with students on projects, share their lived experience, feature this post on their CVs, and receive expenses.

X-Forces Enterprise CEO, Ren Kapur MBE, welcomed the news saying:

'We’re thrilled to bring this extraordinary opportunity to successful entrepreneurs from the Armed Forces community. Not only will the EiRs benefit hugely from the experience, they will also be able to share the stories of their own careers and enterprise journeys, thus inspiring the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.'

Professor Gary Packham, Pro Vice Chancellor Student Enterprise & Entrepreneurship,

commented:

‘ARU is delighted to be associated with the Soldiering on Awards, recognising the critical role small businesses play in our economy and local communities. We are excited to be able to offer these Entrepreneur in Residences to the winners of these categories.

'They will be excellent role models and help inspire the next generation of graduate entrepreneurs to transform lives, business and society’

Soldiering On Awards provide a platform to both reflect on incredible achievements and inspire future endeavours within the wider military family. Now in their 13th year, the Awards celebrate those selflessly volunteering their valuable time, excelling in the sporting world, setting up pioneering ventures, tackling diversity head-on within their community, and much more. Learn more about the Awards at www.soldieringon.org

X-Forces Enterprise welcomes new National Academic Adviser

X-Forces Enterprise is proud to announce that Professor Gary Packham, Pro Vice Chancellor Student Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Anglia Ruskin University, has joined the organisation as National Academic Adviser. Gary has responsibility for international development and employability, entrepreneurship and innovation across the institution. He also runs the University's A.R.E.A. (Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy) project which engages with and supports enterprising students to encourage them to deep dive into the realms of business.

Our collaboration with Gary was instrumental in creating the Entrepreneurs in Residence initiative for the winners of the business categories of the Soldiering

On Awards. In his new role he will support X-Forces Enterprise CEO, Ren Kapur MBE, in her work leading the Education and Skills workstream of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Women and Enterprise, as well as facilitating research on these issues by Anglia Ruskin University.

Students from the University will also examine the landscape for scale-up businesses, researching the incubators provided by banks, Local Enterprise Partnerships, and Government initiatives to support scale-ups and foster growth.

Gary is a passionate advocate for social entrepreneurs and in his article on the next page he underlines the importance of giving them the foundations from which they can succeed in ‘doing well by doing good’.