Liverpool John Moores University will play host to Europe’s biggest student enterprise conference this week, as the National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs (NACUE) Student Enterprise Conference 2015 comes to Liverpool.
The event, in partnership with Santander (who launched a start-up incubator in Liverpool as part of last year’s International Festival for Business), will see over 800 students working with the cream of the UK’s innovation crop, as businesses and entrepreneurs flock to the university.
Starting on 31 January, The Student Enterprise Conference 2015 aims to shine a spotlight on the best talent the Liverpool City Region has to offer with two days of workshops and seminars.
The event will also see support from City of Liverpool College and will feature discussion with former Liverpool Lord Mayor Cllr Gary Millar; director of DoES Liverpool, the city’s makers and entrepreneurs community, Adrian McEwan; and Rebecca Jones, co-founder of Girl Geeks Liverpool as its main speakers.
Johnny Luk, NACUE chief executive, said:
“We’re thrilled to be hosting our Student Enterprise Conference in Liverpool alongside Santander.
“Liverpool is a thriving enterprise hub and I couldn’t think of a better place for NACUE to host this year’s conference.
“At NACUE we work with thousands of students every year and they increasingly want to create something that leaves a mark.
“Students in Liverpool are creating some fantastic businesses, such as Juxdit that supports crowd funding campaigns, or Mister Drinkster that helps its users to save money.
“I look forward to meeting with these ambitious entrepreneurs at Liverpool at an event designed to help them achieve their goals.”
Managing director north division in Santander Corporate and Commercial Banking, Damian McGann, said:
“It’s so important to support and encourage entrepreneurship, especially amongst young people.
“Student entrepreneurs are key to the growth and prosperity of our economy and many of them, along with the impact of new technology, will innovate, define and lead our future.”
Set up in 2009, NACUE looks to promote student entrepreneurship and has been instrumental in establishing more than 2000 new enterprise societies in academic institutions across the country.
NACUE offers direct support by organising regular events where students can engage with experts and collaborate with peers. NACUE also distributes funds to societies and operates as an national advocate for students in matters of employment and education.
Words: Peter Cribley