Individuals inspired to start a business or already on their entrepreneurial journey can discover and share insights at the University of Bath’s third annual Enterprise Day.
The event next Wednesday, 20 March, will bring together business leaders, academic experts and student entrepreneurs to share ideas and celebrate innovation and start-up successes.
Enterprise Day is part of the university’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship programme, which supports staff, students, graduates and local entrepreneurs with their enterprise ambitions, bridging campus and companies.
The university has a strong track record in creating spin-out companies and sharing its research expertise with the business world.
To start the day, Entrepreneurs in Conversation will include Prof Marianne Ellis from the university’s Department of Chemical Engineering, discussing her spin-out company Cellular Agriculture – the first UK spin-out in cultivated protein production.
In 2023 she secured a £12m government grant for the university’s Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub.
Bath alumnus George Kalligeros will share experiences as co-founder and CEO of Pushme until its acquisition by TIER mobility, where he is now vice-president of hardware, responsible for product, engineering and maintenance of 450,000 vehicles across 500 markets in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Pro vice-chancellor for research and enterprise Prof Sarah Hainsworth, who will host a panel discussion and Q&As to follow the presentations, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity to hear from our community who are successfully commercialising their expertise, to learn from their experience, and to be inspired by their spirit of entrepreneurship.”
A choice of three masterclasses at the event will feature expert speakers covering Intellectual Property, seeking investment, and a researcher’s perspective on enterprise:
- Stephen Carter who, as a European patent attorney, founded The Intellectual Property Works to help innovative medtech start-ups and SMEs leverage their IP, will take the audience through the ‘Dos and Don’ts of Intellectual Property’.
- Bath alumnus David Page, a serial entrepreneur who founded InToBusiness to help people launch and grow their start-ups, will lead a session entitled ‘Working towards Investment’.
- Dr Helen Liang will share ‘A researcher’s Perspective on the entrepreneurial journey’ based on her Labcycle start-up, which has opened the UK’s first pilot plant to recycle up to 60% of lab waste, based at the university.
She will be joined by Dr Andrew Cookson, co-founder and chief scientific officer of IngeniumAI, a University of Bath spin-out with Royal United Hospitals Bath.
Later in the afternoon the university’s vice-chancellor and president Prof Ian White will share personal reflections on his own entrepreneurial journey, and take questions on lessons learned.
A second In Conversation session will focus on how to create an ecosystem to support innovation. Speakers will include:
- Andrea Kelly, centre manager of the university SETsquared innovation centre
- Dr Harry Destecroix, deeptech entrepreneur, venture capitalist and founder of Bristol’s Science Creates ecosystem
- Dr Millicent Stone, one of the leading rheumatologists in the UK who last year received the Royal Society ‘Entrepreneur in Residence’ award to work with university’s Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, and
- Remy Foucher, university relationship manager at Santander UK and social mobility champion.
Hosting the session will be Prof Jonathan Knight, vice-president (enterprise) at the university, who said: “Enterprise Day is always an exciting time in the university’s calendar to strengthen our entrepreneurial ecosystem, celebrate success, and engage with stakeholders to discuss future developments.”
Student entrepreneurs will make elevator business pitches at the event, and the Santander Business Fair will exhibit start-ups from the university, including Ensilitech and ForceTeck. The day will close with a networking drinks reception.
Enterprise Day opens for registration at 1pm in the East Building on the Claverton Campus. The event is free and places can be booked online. For more information on the programme visit the university’s website
