Hosted on the Luton campus by the Research & Innovation Service (RIS), this event was part of the University and Council’s new Civic Agreement. It gave guidance and tips to individuals on their journey to entrepreneurship through a series of interesting keynote speakers ranging from entrepreneurs to industry experts, all providing guidance and advice based on their own career experiences.

Speakers at this event included academics and staff from the University, including members of the on-campus Careers and Employability team and Luton Council’s Martin Stein – Programme Manager for Skills & Employability.

Chris Fox, Programme Manager of Pathways4Recovery – a start-up and employability service run by RIS (part funded by European Social Fund) – also delivered an overview of the University’s free support programme, which offers key assistance to unemployed residents in Luton, Bedford and the surrounding areas.

Speaking about this event, Chris said: “Luton is one of the most successful towns in England to attract businesses to start up and has one of the highest national rates for sustainable, independent businesses. The collaboration between the University and Luton Council facilitated the Enterprise Event to provide attendees with insights from institutional experts on how to establish a successful business.”

The event was also co-hosted by Wayne Cartmel, an alumnus of the University of Bedfordshire who benefitted from the guidance and support offered by RIS in his journey to launching a successful company, MyNewTerm. Last year, Wayne spoke openly on the University’s ‘Bits of Beds’ podcast about how the support he received enabled him to make his business dreams a reality, as well as providing work experience and job opportunities to other Bedfordshire graduates.

Wayne added: “In 2014, a twilight 6-week programme at the University of Bedfordshire sparked my interest in starting my own business. From an initial idea, our business was born and we have now grown to works with schools nationally across the country. A huge part of our success has been as a result of the support we have received from the Research & Innovation Service. It was therefore a pleasure to be invited back to co-host this event to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs about the benefits and opportunities that come from starting your own business.”

After the event, those attending had the opportunity to network and build connections with their peers and other organisations.

Martin Stein, who delivered a talk on the Luton 2040 vision and entrepreneurship support, added: “There’s no doubt that Luton is a great place for business start-ups as our key partners work together to provide support, advice and guidance direct to businesses and SMEs.

“By working together we can involve business in our employment, skills and learning activities at a time when the cost of living crisis is challenging family incomes. Luton is a success story, not just on the football pitch but across our industries and business sectors.”

For more information about short courses, business support and consultancy services available from the University of Bedfordshire, visit: www.beds.ac.uk/we-mean-business