Enterprise activities for students

Young Entrepreneurs Scheme

Each year, working with early career researchers (ECRs), the KTC manages the University’s entry to the national Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (YES) which helps develop business awareness and entrepreneurship skills in our postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

The YES competition trains ECRs to prepare a business plan for a hypothetical company. As well as developing enterprise skills, YES encourages creative thinking to produce innovative solutions to major industrial challenges, teaches how to communicate research with impact, enhances work-ready CVs, and allows commercial/professional networks to blossom.

Ecotrophelia

Aimed at undergraduate students in food and nutritional sciences, this is a national competition for the creation of eco-innovative food products.

Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship

• Entrepreneurship Vibes, the annual HCfE launch event to show all new University of Reading students what is on offer and the exciting ways they can get involved with entrepreneurship on campus.
• The Business Idea and Start-Up Clinic, a chance for students to book a one-to-one appointment with a business expert to provide them with some guidance on turning a business idea they have into a reality.
• The Entrepreneurship Hub, a shared workspace for students looking to develop their business idea and network with other like-minded students.
• The student-led Entrepreneurship Society, who lead a regular series of guest speaker talks and networking events to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship amongst students.
• The IDEAFEST Student Business Idea Competition, open to students across the University of Reading to submit a business idea to a panel of judges who award cash prizes for the best and most innovative ideas.
• The Henley Summer Start-Up Boot Camp, a hands-on, week-long course that helps students and local budding entrepreneurs learn about setting up a business from scratch.
• The Henley Greenshoots Seed Finance Award Scheme, a targeted series of cash prizes for businesses set up by students and graduates of the University of Reading who can demonstrate potential to grow and become sustainable businesses.
• Henley Business Angels, a network of high-net worth individuals and sophisticated investors that facilitates opportunities for members to invest in early-stage businesses founded by University of Reading graduates and those connected to the University and in the process promote entrepreneurship.
• Henley Entrepreneur Mentor Programme, which see successful entrepreneurs provide mentoring to students and alumni planning to start businesses and those who have started businesses. The mentors provide advice and support pro bono for a few hours a month.