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The Enterprise Scholarship Scheme

The Enterprise Scholarship Scheme is a fantastic opportunity to develop your fledgling business skills in a supportive environment. Not only that but as a successful candidate you will receive a substantial grant to help with your start-up costs. As a highlight of the scheme, you will be invited to join our intensive online bootcamp where you will hear from a wide range of successful entrepreneurs who have been through the programme. Benefit from their experience as they share their skills giving you the flying start your competitors only dream of!

Training

• Market Research
• Business Planning & Forcasting
• Accessing Finance
• Sales & Marketing
• Pitching your business
• Legal
• Networking

So what next?

The Package

• £3,000 to help develop enterprise opportunities, plus £1,000 that the University will use to pay for your training and development
• Possibility of access to the Spark Business Incubator based in Nexus (subject to availability).
• Access to a range of business mentors
• A supportive environment in which to combine academic study with entrepreneurial activities
• Access to professional networks
• Access to Helix and Edward Boyle Library Enterprise zones
• The opportunity to participate in and help build the University’s enterprise community
• The opportunity to become an ambassador for enterprise at the University
• Continued support form an award-winning department.

Creating a buzz around a business

“I was trading on Ebay,” said Harry, “but having my own website was a much better solution. Besides the money I found it really helpful having my own office space at Nexus, enabling me to build my business alongside my studies.

Beekeeping seems an unlikely way of making a living, but it’s absolutely flown for Spark scholar Harry Simpson.

Moss Nook Honey is now fast approaching a turnover of million pounds a year for 21 year-old Harry who graduated from the University of Leeds last summer.

In his first year of studying for a BSc degree in Economics, he saw a notice on Minerva about the Business Plan competition that offered a £1,000 prize.

He got through to the second round and although he didn’t win anything, he was advised to apply for a Spark scholarship.

>He did just that the following year and won £3,000, enabling him to buy stock and build a professional and engaging website that proved instrumental to his business.

Harry started Moss Nook Honey in 2019 which is a one-stop shop for honey. He also sells all types of equipment including hives, tools, honey extraction equipment and suits for those wanting to get into beekeeping.

Harry has hit the sweet spot by constructing affordable beehives for people to take up the hobby without breaking the bank. He sells fully constructed hives with assembled frames as well as flat packed hives to suit all tastes. He can also provide different sized colonies of bees.

In addition, he offers commercial farmers across the country the opportunity to use his beehives to help pollinate their crops, allowing them to gain a higher yield of up to 25%.

He has sought to make beekeeping as easy as possible and offers free advice whenever he can to bolster the UK’s bee population.

 

“I also made great contacts with like-minded people and learnt a lot from them. I got some good advice on a whole range of matters

“As part of the scholarship, I did a two-day course, picking up knowledge on legal and HR matters as well as learning business acumen. It was well worth it.

“I always wanted to have my own business. I had the entrepreneurial spirit from a young age – selling free range eggs at the age of eight. I tried to get into investment banking in my last year of university but am much happier having my own business now.”

Harry took over another company called Simon The Beekeeper this year and is going global – selling across Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and now wants to set up in America.

He even sells honey to Greece – a bit like selling ice to eskimos.  Quite an achievement really.

Rosie’s business develops at pace

 

“As part of the scholarship, I went to Boot Camp last December. There were about 15 of us and we attended courses and workshops teaching us how to grow our businesses by creating robust business plans and acquiring skills such as public speaking.

Rosie Musk took a leap into the unknown during Covid lockdown and landed on her feet.

Many businesses were halted in their tracks during the pandemic, but Rosie Musk spotted an opportunity to develop her passion for fitness into a viable business.

She named her online fitness classes Team Rosie Fitness Training and saw it take off as people were unable to go far from home to exercise.

Because of Covid, Rosie deferred her place at the University of Leeds for two years, but on arriving in the city to study for a BA degree in Business Management with Marketing, her desire to develop a business grew.

She actively sought out funding opportunities and was delighted when her application for an Enterprise Scholarship was successful.

 

“We learnt a lot from each other, about the journeys we were making, and what succeeded and what didn’t.”

She then went on to gain further funding by winning the Business Plan Competition in March this year, enabling her to buy a laptop and a quality microphone to better film her workouts.

“The workshops were invaluable,” she said. “In fact, the wider learning was more important than the money.”

She was delighted to then secure a £1,000 Proof of Concept grant two months later. This fund is made available to current undergraduates at the University, postgraduates and those that have graduated within the last seven years. It is just for those businesses based in the Leeds City Region.

The funding provides support for projects that are in the early stages of development and can be spent on such areas as marketing, materials and equipment, mentoring and professional services such as accountants, and appropriate travel and subsistence costs.

Rosie is in the second year of her degree so she has a lot to juggle but she manages by being very organised.

My strength is my time management,” she said. “Doing online coaching alongside my studies has been fine. I enjoy working under pressure and I am getting better at managing that balance. The extra money helps to make me more self-sufficient.

The Spark scheme enables so many connections. There is always someone to talk to. You acquire so much business acumen through the Spark network.

“I’m really happy being in Leeds. It is so affordable and accessible and these type of opportunities that the University offers are so valuable.”

Need more info?

Find out more about the Enterprise Scholarships at our Information Workshops

Applying for an Enterprise Scholarship information session
In Person - Helix - Wednesday 11th October 14.30 – 15.15 Click to book!
Online - Tuesday 17th October 15.00 – 15.30 Click to book!

How to Apply

Enterprise Scholarship Application Form 2023/24 - Click to download

Completed applications to be submitted electronically by 10 A.M. on Friday 03rd November 2023 to a.m.archer@leeds.ac.uk.

Applications will then be considered by a formal review panel and the shortlisted applicants will be invited to present to the panel at University House on Monday 20th or Tuesday 21st November 2023. If you have any questions please email Angela Archer via a.m.archer@leeds.ac.uk.

Please note: The Enterprise Scholarship Boot Camp on 18th and 19th December is residential and all successful applicants will be expected to stay overnight at the hotel.

Contact

The programme is managed by Spark based in Nexus from which further details can be obtained via Angela Archer on 0113 343 5028 or a.m.archer@leeds.ac.uk