The B-Enterprising Team are based in Bangor University’s Careers & Employability Service and our aim is to provide opportunities for our students and graduates to develop their enterprise skills and to support those who want to start their own business or social enterprise or develop their freelance careers.
Meet the B-Enterprising Team
Beth Edwards
Enterprise Education Development Coordinator
Sam Goad
Senior Enterprise & Employability Clerical Officer
Kath Lewis
Graduate Start-Up Coordinator
Lowri Owen
B-Enterprising Manager
I have had an immense amount of helpful support through B-Enterprising. They have guided me on marketing, budgeting, and self-care, helped me get in touch with clients, provided a grant and helped me secure another. They have kept me positive through developing my freelance business and conversed with many bi-monthly without fail. I am incredibly grateful for the support I have been given.
Our Mission
Bangor University is grateful for the financial support it receives from the Welsh Government, Santander Universities and Medr which enables us to offer an array of enterprising opportunities to our students. We collaborate with a range of external partners, using the principles of Be the Spark, to create a more visible, simple and connected entrepreneurial eco system within Wales.
Bangor University has a strong mission commitment to the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of Wales and provides its students with opportunities to develop their enterprise and entrepreneurial skills and to support those interested in taking their business ideas forward. Included in the University’s Strategy 2030 is ‘the priority to aspire for ‘greater employability, start-up and commercialisation across North Wales’.
The Value of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education
Learning about and experiencing enterprise whilst still at university can have several benefits. It gives students alternative perspectives on their career options and the confidence to set up their own business or social enterprise. Enterprise competencies will be useful to those in employment, or those who become self-employed and work on a freelance or consultancy basis. It can help develop a ‘can-do’ confidence, a creative questioning approach and a willingness to take risks, enabling individuals to manage workplace uncertainty and flexible working patterns and careers.
QAA Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education 2018
They have given me the confidence to reach out to get sales, accelerate my business development, and understand my service's worth. It is an absolute pleasure to have had such high-quality guidance in all areas of the development and implementation of my business.
B-Enterprising Opportunities
- Regular one to one business mentoring
- Funding for developing ideas and start-up through the Enterprise Fund and Start-up Placement Grant
- Free shared office at the Incubation space at M-SParc on Anglesey
- Workshops and events to develop skills as well as specialist business start-up support.
- Targeted support for those wanting to freelance, including free membership to IPSE
- Pitching and presenting opportunities at local and national competitions.
- Funding from the Staff Enterprise Fund to develop enterprising projects and activities
- Taught sessions delivered.
- Item loaning.
The one-to-one sessions have been invaluable for us. We came with a concrete idea and they helped us develop that idea beyond what we had even envisioned. They gave me the confidence to pull the trigger on our plans and continues to be an invaluable person to turn too.
Overview of the Year
- The Graduate Start-Up Coordinator supported 88 unique students to develop business ideas over 237 appointments during the year, a 33% increase on last year.
- 100% of feedback received from one-to-one mentoring participants stated that they were provided with the information, skills and knowledge to take action and given the confidence to progress to the next stage.
- 31 student/graduate start-ups were recorded for HEBCIS report in 2023-24 academic year.
- Students and graduates with close to business start-up were given the opportunity to apply for up to £5,000, through the Enterprise Fund, Self-Employment Placement Fund and Santander Universities Ideas Development Fund. 66 students and graduates were successful in receiving funding.
- 87% of respondents felt that the funding awarded helped them to actually start a business or freelance career and 100% felt that the funding gave them the confidence to start a business or freelance career.
- A free desk at the Incubation space at M-SParc was offered as part of the support for those who are close to or have just started their own businesses. Nine businesses were successful in gaining a desk in the office during the year.
- 12 staff champions were actively engaged within the curriculum, which included 7 new staff and 14 taught sessions were delivered.
- The Staff Enterprise Fund of £5,000 per college was fully allocated and resulted in 8 projects being supported across the University. An eligibility criterion for the fund involved developing knowledge about the Entrecomp Framework (a reference framework to understand what is meant by an entrepreneurial mindset) and sharing/ disseminating with colleagues.
- Two members of the B-Enterprising team achieved the EEUK Fellowship during the year.
- Updates and opportunities from EEUK are regularly shared through the University’s Staff Bulletin.
- The B-Enterprising team continue to collaborate with the pan Wales Enterprise Champion networks and with the local and national support network to provide opportunities to our students and graduates.
'Be Nesa' Podcast
The ‘Be Nesa’ podcast, continues to grow from strength to strength with the launch of season 2 and involved entrepreneurs as well as employers. The podcast aims to provide listeners with knowledge of different career opportunities, including freelance work and owning a business.
Christmas Market 2023
2023 saw the return if the annual Student Christmas Market, the first since the pandemic and 125 students and graduates had stalls.
Funded Projects
A video was created to showcase projects that had received funding from the Staff Enterprise Development.
During my meeting, I had the opportunity to discuss my idea openly and received professional, helpful advice that I later incorporated as I moved forward. It was a great help, thank you.