Picturd above: Professor Helen Higson with Birmingham
Science Park Aston MD Dr David Hardman at the BSEEN incubation
centre
Over 200 members of the Midlands business and academic community
attended an event showcasing 36 new companies at Birmingham Science
Park Aston on Thursday 3rd February 2011.
The companies were part of the BSEEN (Birmingham Skills for
Enterprise and Employability Network) - a scheme to support
employability and enterprise among recent graduates. These 36 new
firms are the latest to receive support from BSEEN, which has
invested over £1.2 million in incubating 90 fledgling
businesses over the last 18 months, and supporting around 350
recent graduates and students develop their enterprise and
entrepreneurship skills.
Professor Helen Higson, senior pro-vice chancellor at Aston
University, said: "The Government has made it clear that it wants
more people to think entrepreneurially and set up their own
businesses to drive growth in the UK economy. Graduates will play a
key role in this, bringing fresh new ideas and developing them into
strong successful businesses.
"It is important to offer incubator space to graduates as whilst
they will have acquired great knowledge and skill sets during their
courses, they can't be expected to know everything. Having expert
mentors on hand to guide them really does help these companies
flourish and prosper.
"The showcase last night was incredibly rewarding to attend,
reminding me that we have consistently exceeded our targets for
supporting our current and former students on their entrepreneurial
journeys. I was pleased to see the diversity of businesses, ideas
and passion within the group. I have no doubt there will be some
will be the big hitters of the future amongst this latest
cohort."
Aston University manages BSEEN, alongside partners University of
Birmingham and Birmingham City University, and offers 6 months of
free incubator access at Birmingham Science Park Aston - with
training, mentoring, coaching and a business grant. It is funded
through Birmingham City Council's Working Neighbourhoods Fund.
Aston University was last week lauded for its management of the
BSEEN project, scooping the 'Midlands Enterprising University of
the Year' award at the Midland Business Awards on 28th January
2011, beating four other of the region's top universities.