A PLAYGROUND FOR NEW IDEAS

Drawing on a successful model from the US, a new enterprise programme at Leeds will equip students to become the innovators and problem-solvers of tomorrow.

"We are calling it the Leeds Sandpit,” says Associate Professor of Enterprise Dr Richard Tunstall, explaining an eye-catching aspect of a new programme to embed entrepreneurship and innovation into the student experience in every faculty across campus.

Its inspiration comes from the Massachusetts Institute of technology (MIT), whose well-established Innovation Sandbox programme nurtures the ideas and talents of students – and supports many of them to bring their business ambitions to fruition. With access to industry mentors and MIT's training and expertise, the Leeds Sandpit will be a community of students developing and sharing ideas, a place where they can take risks, return to the drawing board if ideas fail and learn from their experience.

Leeds will be the first university in Europe to adopt the model. "Some US universities are doing aspects of this, but it’s often just about creating start-up companies for students already on an entrepreneurial path,” says Richard. “MIT and Leeds seek to partner to explore how this works in a bigger, broader university to give all students the chance to develop their ideas and work towards creating impact from their knowledge.”

Leeds is already ahead of the game in encouraging students to think entrepreneurially. Our award-winning Spark programme has a long track record in nurturing student businesses and many have gone on to become thriving concerns. Modules offered by our Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies are open to students of all disciplines and designed to help them enhance the transferable skills that employers value.

The University’s ambitious vision – aligned to our ten-year strategy ‘University Values, Global Change’ – will build on this by developing tomorrow’s innovators from across campus, both those determined to establish a new business and those who can bring these skills to an employer or lead the next innovative solution in their field.

At its heart is the new HELIX facility, a £3.6m playground for creativity, enterprise and piloting new ideas. Alongside its professional standard media studios, podcasting booths, 3D-printing and laser-cutting and creative facilities, HELIX has the UK’s first virtual reality Omnideck, which allows users to explore an unrestricted virtual world. Its makerspaces offer the tools to build, make, and experiment.

“We want to give all students the opportunity to think in an entrepreneurial way and explore whether the skills and projects they are developing on their course might lead to something with real-world potential,” says Richard.

He cites the example of Leeds digital design agency madeby.studio, established by students Sam Taylor and Matt Wheeler. “Sam and Matt started out by working on a branding project, when they met as part of their studies. It was only a theoretical application, but it worked, and they set up the agency off the back of that – and now have a thriving business. That was serendipity, but can we provide the opportunity and support to make these things happen deliberately rather than accidentally?

"A lot of this is about making enterprise activity accessible to all students. The Leeds Sandpit isn’t just about start-ups – you can come with half an idea and explore where it will go; our makerspaces are open to everyone, not just engineering students as in some Universities. Our Enterprise Discover programmes will run thematic events, competitions, hackathons and innovation sprints, where students can advance their practical leadership skills in a fun, collaborative environment, while working on projects that could have real-world potential.

“It's not just for those who see themselves as entrepreneurs; it's also for people who just want to contribute and be involved in that experience.

“We also want to strengthen the impact of Spark, by deepening the support we offer businesses for up to seven years after the students have graduated. We want to increase the size and scale of these businesses, and support them in pitching to investors.

“In short, we want enterprise activity to become an integral part of our culture. If we do this well, it will give the University a global reputation for enterprise.”