THE BUSINESS START-UP FUND. How your donation can help us create tomorrow s entrepreneurs

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1 THE BUSINESS START-UP FUND How your donation can help us create tomorrow s entrepreneurs

2 Kent 2 Business School HELP US DEVELOP SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS Enterprise lies at the heart of our mission. We pride ourselves on providing high quality enterprise and startup teaching modules and nationally-recognised activities to celebrate entrepreneurship, such as our annual Business Start-up Day. Now we wish to go even further. We want to equip our budding student entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and advice to avoid the pitfalls of starting a business, and build on the strengths of their business ideas as well as nurturing them as individuals, team members and tomorrow s business leaders. To achieve this we need your help. Your support will directly contribute to our new start-up delivery programme, the Business Start-Up Journey. Professor Martin Meyer Director, Kent Business School I never fail to be impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of students and I am delighted to help as many of them as I can reach their goals and play their part in creating wealth and jobs. Helping students redefine and exceed their own objectives is what this Fund in particular is all about. Paul Dyer, Co-Founder Towergate, Kent Alumnus and Kent Business School Advancement Committee Chair 3

3 Kent Business School MAKING A DIFFERENCE More than ever economies need new business start-ups; but it is not just a numbers game. There are thousands of businesses that start up each year, but studies suggest that as many as nine out of ten don t make it past their second year. This is where we want to make a difference. Surveys continually suggest that around 50 per cent of university undergraduates want to start their own business before or soon after they graduate. This is where we can make a difference. With proper support through the Business Start-Up Fund, we can provide students with an effective start-up programme and give them the best possible chances of success.

4 Kent 6 Business School TOMORROW S ENTREPENEURS I m really excited to begin involvement in the Business Start-up Journey - meeting entrepreneurs who have been there and done that will be an amazing experience to support our own futures. We re all so grateful for the kindness of the donors and we will certainly be showing them lots of enthusiasm. Hollie Bentley, Second Year Student, Marketing and Events Manager Kent Student Business Society Doing a course in Business and Management at the University of Kent is great for understanding the business environment but with the opportunity to start your own business and work with successful entrepreneurs makes it exceptionally better. This programme will be a fantastic way to be inspired, get started and receive the support needed to become an entrepreneur! Ada Worswick, Second Year Student, Student Experience Officer Providing students with the practical advice to start their own business is vital, that s why I support the Business Start-Up Fund. It s a great way of developing tomorrow s business leaders and entrepreneurs so that they are fully equipped with practical skills needed to start, grow and develop their business start-up ideas. Lisa Pan, Vice President, Rekoo. KBS Alumna Business Start-up Journey will provide me with an opportunity to turn my business ideas into reality. Studying Business Administration and Marketing degree at University of Kent has filled me with immense knowledge and professionalism that I can utilise in order to make my business plan a true success. The Business Start-Up Journey will provide an opportunity to support creativity and entrepreneurship amongst students which can transform their lives. Osama Sabir, Second Year Student, Student Experience Officer Starting a Business while still at university is a dream come true for entrepreneurs! The Kent Student Business Society is working closely with the Business Start Up Journey to inspire students and get them excited about entrepreneurship as a career option. Learning the do s and don ts whilst still at University helps avoid mistakes later and ensures new ideas have a better chance of lasting beyond their set-up stage. Daniela Marxheka, Second Year Student, President of Kent Student Business Society. The programme would be so beneficial for me in the sense that I could test the validity of my idea in a safe environment and even more so, to gain valuable knowledge in turning an idea into a more tangible potential business which I have never had the resources to do myself! Aimee Philpott, Second Year Student, Online Sales and Marketing Intern at Rackspace Limited

5 8 THE BUSINESS START-UP JOURNEY Developing the next generation of entrepreneurs A step-by-step extra-curricular programme designed to encourage, nurture and support the development of student business start-ups Stage one: Be inspired Get to think creatively about a business idea: Celebrate business start-ups Be inspired by guest entrepreneurs Get in the right frame of mind to articulate your business start-up idea Stage four: Getting investor-ready Consolidate your business start-up idea Prepare an investor-ready business plan Access professional coaching from our entrepreneurs-inresidence and personal development programmes Get expert one-to-one advice from successful entrepreneurs 4 Stage three: Developing the idea Get access to a hands-on training programme Understand the fundamentals of lean business start-up Work on a personal development plan Find out how to protect and fully exploit your idea 3 2 Stage two: Exploring your business idea Get to test your business idea with others: Reflect on the attractiveness of your business idea Access and collaborate with like-minded entrepreneurs Pitch your idea for Stage 3 Stage five: Pitching 5 6 Stage six: You re in business! Present your business start-up idea to a panel of expert entrepreneurs Put your business start-up idea to the test Develop your presentation and pitching skills Make valuable business connections You now have: The necessary knowledge and skills to become a successful entrepreneur The opportunity to access the University HIVE incubator New connections to help your business thrive Inspiring future generations Be an inspiration to others Return to advise the next generation of student entrepreneurs Good luck!

6 Kent 10Business School YOUR DONATION You will benefit by... Supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs Take the opportunity to give back in a tangible way to support budding entrepreneurs and help develop dynamic economies and sustainable and ethical business practices. Hearing it first Take part in a judging panel and be one of the first to have students pitch their business ideas to you. Who knows, you might be the first to spot the next big thing. Meeting new business contacts As well as having the opportunity to develop lasting relationships with the student(s) you support, you will also have the opportunity to network with established entrepreneurs through our networking events and celebration dinners. Receiving a big thank you But the biggest reward will come from the student entrepreneurs themselves who you have helped along their Business Start-Up Journey. Your donation will help... Nurture Talent Equip students with the confidence to give it a go while they are still at the University of Kent. Deliver a package of support Provide expert assistance at every stage of the development of their Business Start-Up; from ideas creation to financing. For every 1,500 donated, we can fund one place on the Business Start-Up Help create sustainable businesses Help students identify and test the market as they develop their business model and offer. Building a business in today s competitive environment is very challenging but also hugely rewarding. It is a difficult journey where learning from your mistakes is a key component for success. The Fund is an ideal forum for students to have their ideas challenged and prepare them for the realities of the commercial world. I am excited to support the Business Start-Up Fund. Daniel Rubin Founder and Executive Chairman, The Dune Group Kent Alumnus

7 Kent 12Business School WHY KENT? The University of Kent is an ideal environment to develop the next generation of student entrepreneurs. As a provider of business education, we are committed to enhancing the career prospects of all our students, undergraduate and postgraduate, in order to enable them to compete and flourish in a competitive, fast-moving knowledge-based economy. The University of Kent has been ranked in the top 20 in the Guardian university league table, and placed in the top 10 for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey. Through the provision of the Business Start-up Fund, we are ensuring that our students continue to receive first class support, advice and business education in a stimulating and effective learning community. Thank you for your support.

8 14 CONNECT WITH US T: +44 (0) E: University of Kent, Kent Business School, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7PE