University of Bath Hosts Enterprise Day, Offering Entrepreneurial Inspiration
People inspired to start a business, and those at all points on the entrepreneurial journey are invited to discover and share insight at the University of Bath’s third annual Enterprise Day on Wednesday 20 March.
The event 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 Professor 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 £12 million 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.
Professor Sarah Hainsworth, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, 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 to leverage their IP, will take the audience through the ‘Dos and Don’ts of Intellectual Property’.
Alumnus David Page, a serial entrepreneur who founded InToBusiness to help people launch and grow their startups 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 startup, 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, Professor 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 of Bath’s SETsquared Innovation Centre; Dr Harry Destecroix, Founder of Science Creates; 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 Professor 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 startups from the University, including Ensilitech and Forceteck. The day will close with a networking drinks reception.