Westminster Enterprise Network (WeNetwork) has awarded £15,000 to budding entrepreneurs at its first mixer event of the academic year, where students and recent graduates on the Start-Up 101 and Freelance Essentials programmes had the chance to pitch their business ideas for Pioneer Bursary funding.
On 19 November, WeNetwork hosted a mixer event for students and recent graduates of the Start-Up 101 and Freelance Essentials programmes. During the event, participants pitched their innovative business ideas for the chance to receive funding from the University’s Pioneer Bursary. They explained their business plans and discussed how they would use the bursary to support their development. This provided participants with the opportunity to showcase their ideas, receive peer feedback and access funding to bring their projects to life. By the end of the evening, WeNetwork had awarded £15,000 in funding to the presenting entrepreneurs.
WeNetwork, the University of Westminster’s enterprise hub, is dedicated to empowering students and alumni by offering opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills, engage in self-employment and launch new ventures through programmes. These initiatives include Start-Up 101, Freelance Essentials and the Pioneer Bursary, which provides enterprise students at Westminster with a £500 grant to support the development of their business projects.
Talking about the bursary, final-year Fashion Marketing and Promotion BA Honours student Mahjurah Begum said: “The Pioneer Bursary is really going to help with marketing and the launch of the website and platform I’m creating.”
Final-year Business Management BA Honours student Raghav Goyal discussed how they will use the bursary to support their business: He said: “I plan on spending my Pioneer Bursary in three ways: buying a LinkedIn Premium subscription to reach out to influencers and brands, investing in a product design course to learn user interface and website development and putting these skills into action for my startup.”
First-year Real Estate BSc Honours student Sashawna James added: “I plan to host a conference for market research and brand development. The bursary will help cover the venue, refreshments, marketing resources and incentives. It will be a great way to gather feedback and take the next steps for my business idea.”
About the event, Rumen Rachev, Marketing and Events Manager at WeNetwork, said: “The mixer is a favourite of our programme participants as it allows them to network with other students and graduates interested in entrepreneurship from across all levels and courses that they otherwise may not have met. It’s also a great opportunity for them to practice pitching and public speaking and secure a £500 grant to support the development of their idea or existing business. It was delightful to see so many aspiring founders and freelancers, which in turn inspires us as we continue on our mission to support the next generation of Westminster entrepreneurs.”
This event and the work of WeNetwork contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about WeNetwork and its programmes at the University of Westminster.
