The Big Idea Competition is the University’s annual business idea and innovation competition sponsored by Santander Universities UK. The competition drives students and graduates to develop and activate their innovation skills and entrepreneurial ideas.
Attend the following workshops to develop your skills and insights, and get advice on how to for inspiration and guidance on submitting a winning application:
A Deep Dive into Creative, Tech and Startup Careers – Marylebone Campus: Thursday 31 October, 5:30-7:30PM
This interactive discussion-led workshop takes an honest look at the types of jobs and careers that are out there in the creative, startup and design industry. It aims to equip attendees with the insights and tools to help them make the most of their future roles. The workshop will include a brief overview of creative, tech, design and startup teams, some common misconceptions about creative career and startup life, and the importance of mentors.
Introduction to Freelancing – Harrow Campus: Tuesday 5 November, 5:30-7:30PM
A talk led by alumnus Matt Dowling - founder of Freelancer club covering the foundation and essential aspects of freelancing and working independently as a contractor - and importantly how to find clients and get paid fairly for your work.
Industry Panel: An Inside Look at Life as a Startup Founder – Marylebone Campus: Thursday 14 November, 5:30-7:30PM
Listen in on this moderated panel where four startup founders will shed a light on the entrepreneur journey and how one learns and builds over time. Questions will include; Starting a business is tough, the stats on business survival are dire - what made you do start your own thing? What’s been the most challenging part of setting up the business? We hear a lot about the fundraising journey and how tough it is - what’s been your experience? What do you wish more entrepreneurs knew when starting out?
Design Thinking 101 – Marylebone Campus: Tuesday 19 November, 5:30-7:30PM
The Design Thinking 101 workshop discusses everything you should think when creating a unique, intuitive and useful product. We will cover aspects of both user experience and user interface, and user-centred design. We’ll cover the concepts, but also demonstrate the methods and tools designers use daily to push their products forward and make sure they’ll succeed and stand out. The workshop will include best practice examples and practical tips.
Storytelling: Bringing Your Product Ideas to Life – Marylebone Campus: Tuesday 26 November, 5:30-7:30PM
You can have a great product, the perfect experience, or a great idea, but if you can’t tell people why they should be interested, they won’t be. It’s no longer enough to be able to pull facts and figures together to make your point, you have to be able to tell the story of why anybody should care. This workshop will look into how stories are structured, the key elements that are involved to keep the attention of an audience, and how you can use this knowledge to tell your story better.
