Global Entrepreneurship Week 2019
Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), the world's largest campaign to promote entrepreneurship, took place at the end of last year from 18-24 November. To celebrate this week, Warwick Enterprise hosted and co-hosted a number of student-focused and student-led events on campus.
As Innovation Fellows, students in Liberal Arts and Global Sustainable Development (GSD) were actively involved in running the events on campus, as well as writing content for the Warwick Enterprise website, promoting Warwick Enterprise around the University and attending events themselves.
Luke Netherclift, a second year GSD and Business Studies student is a current Innovation Fellow. Luke is keen to support student businesses and social enterprises which are designed to make a meaningful, sustainable impact on society. During GEW 2019, along with other students Luke led the Warwick Secret Challenge, an interdisciplinary brainstorming workshop with elements of design thinking. The Challenge is underpinned by the work that is championed by Warwick's Creative and Digital Initiative.
Pictured: GSD student Luke co-delivering a talk about the World Innovation Challenge during GEW 2019
Luke also presented later in the week on the World Innovation Challenge, a sustainability competition to be hosted by the universities of Warwick, Monash, and Hong Kong Polytechnic.
"Luke Netherclift made an invaluable contribution to Warwick Enterprise’s activities during GEW2019, harnessing both his knowledge of design thinking and his commitment to sustainability. He co-ran a very successful Warwick Secret Challenge on the topic of Creativity at Warwick, and he co-delivered an information session on the forthcoming World Innovation Challenge, a sustainability competition to be hosted by Warwick, Monash, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University."
Dr Lewis Beer, Enterprise Development Officer
Ceara Webster, a final year Liberal Arts student is also a current Innovation Fellow. Ceara is interested in encouraging community engagement, increasing accessibility to opportunities, and utilising innovative interventions to make meaningful change (in sustainable business and personal practice). We caught up with Ceara about her involvement in GEW 2019.
"GEW was a very busy week and everybody involved put in a lot of effort and planning. On Monday myself and Luke Netherclift asked the Warwick Community: “What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you since being at Warwick?” This question received a range of answers, with the most common of responses being surprised at the question itself, as it really had people reflecting and attempting to pinpoint what exactly has inspired them so far in their academic and personal journey. Later that day myself and my colleagues, Ptolemy Banks and Giacomo Bottoli attended the WMG Matchmaking Accelerator where we were matched, based on our skills and proficiencies, with an individual developing a start-up in order to provide feedback and facilitate the research process for these ventures. The evening also involved networking, a team-based task, and a Q&A with a panel of varying academic and entrepreneurial figures."
Pictured: Liberal Arts student Ceara delivering her Sustainable Banking event during GEW 2019
"On Tuesday I facilitated the final Her Innovation Collective (HIC) session. HIC is a programme run by women for all kinds of women to help inspire them in entrepreneurship, innovation, or even just to aid in the setting and eventual fulfillment of goals and targets. This Collective has four sessions over the academic term and will run also in term two alongside its creative parallel, which specifically focuses on inspiring women interested in the creative industries."
"On Wednesday I produced an article, covering the topic of ecosystems in GEW reflecting on the appropriateness of the terminology itself and the entrepreneurial spirit and community on Warwick campus. I also attended the Tata NACUE Varsity Pitch final with my colleague Ptolemy Banks, which was a great opportunity to network with individuals across a range of sectors, be exposed to a variety of entrepreneurial ventures, and observe how pitches were delivered, received, and judged. The following day I hosted a Sustainable Banking event. I led a brief, informative introduction before hosting a panel featuring Timo Fukar, Head of Marketing in Warwick Trading Society, Shreya Thummar, Warwick Finance Societies, and Saif Durrani, President of Warwick Global Sustainable Development Society and opening up a Q&A."
Ceara Webster convened a fascinating and in-depth roundtable on Sustainable Banking, with special guests from various societies: she delivered a superb introduction and facilitated the discussion like a pro! She also attended the Tata Varsity Pitch Final in London, and co-wrote an excellent report on it.
Dr Lewis Beer, Enterprise Development Officer
To find out more about what happened during GEW 2019 at Warwick, see here.
If you would like to get involved in any of the ongoing or future initiatives referred to in this article, please get in touch with Warwick Enterprise.
Innovation Fellows
Ceara Webster,
final year Liberal Arts student
Luke Netherclift, second year GSD and Business Studies student