The Enterprise Scholarship Scheme is designed to foster entrepreneurial skills in students by providing them with a nurturing environment and financial support for their start-up ventures.
Successful applicants receive a significant grant to cover initial business expenses. A key feature of the scheme is the intensive bootcamp, which offers participants the chance to learn from a diverse group of entrepreneurs who have successfully completed the programme, providing valuable insights and guidance on starting and growing a business.
Student businesses
Among the scholarship recipients is Enterprise Scholar and 3rd Year BSc Midwifery student, Sarah Clayton. Sarah has already qualified as a hypnobirthing practitioner to give pregnant women an alternative pain relief option. She plans to offer the service privately and ultimately hopes to see the option being offered widely through NHS Trusts.
Sarah’s passion for midwifery started when she volunteered as a Doula for almost two years in Hull. Sarah founded Breathe & Birth in February 2023, which is a hypnobirthing business that provides antenatal classes and hypnobirthing practices. Her goal is to educate, empower, and excite families about the birth of their baby: “Hypnobirthing is a technique that uses hypnosis during pregnancy to reduce subconscious fear surrounding childbirth. During labour, it helps to remain calm and centred, promotes labouring hormones, and relieves pain.”
The main inspiration behind starting her business was the positive impact that hypnobirthing has on families during childbirth. Sarah witnessed this first-hand while caring for her first family during their labour. Having previously witnessed births, she understood the stress and anxiety that comes with the intense experience of childbirth.
However, this birth was different. The mother breathed through her contractions while her partner spoke encouraging affirmations to her. Even when complications arose, she remained calm and centred, resulting in an immensely positive experience despite the challenges that arose towards the end.
“I wanted every family to have a similar experience and reflect on their birth in a positive way. After conducting research, I discovered that many hypnobirthing teachers were perceived as 'hippy' and not evidence-based. Additionally, a lot of information that families were being told through their antenatal classes needed to be more accurate and safer.”
“I am thrilled to have been awarded the SPARK Enterprise Scholarship and received 3rd place in the trading category for the SPARK Business Plan Competition. The funding I received has enabled me to hold my first in-person class and conduct numerous one-on-one sessions, both in-person and online. This has allowed me to be more flexible in my teaching approach, making my classes more inclusive and accessible, especially to anxious parents.”
Enterprise Bootcamp
Twenty student entrepreneurs attended the Spark 2023 Enterprise Scholarship bootcamp – an intensive 2-day residential event.
The Enterprise Scholarship bootcamp has run since 2008 and has delivered a programme of workshops to over 200 student entrepreneurs, covering everything from financials, legalities, marketing, business planning and pitching.
Among the 2023 bootcamp delegates was Enterprise Scholar Matt Twitchen (final year, BSc Music, Multimedia and Electronics). He won the 2023 Sir Peter Thompson Award with business partners Sol Harter and Franklin Plowman for their decibel meter business, Ludwig Devices.
Matt says: “I arrived at Bootcamp not knowing what I didn’t know. The legal sessions were particularly valuable for our technology business, and we’ve learned about all sorts of grants and financial support we weren’t aware of which we can apply for. It was also motivational to hear the presentations from the former scholars, those who’ve already trodden the path we’re on and see where they are now. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and we have left with a better idea of what our next steps need to be”.
Coming full circle
A unique feature of bootcamps in recent years is the delivery of presentations by Spark alumni, now running their own successful businesses, who generously return to support the next generation of entrepreneurs alongside Spark’s network of professional service advisers.
One such alumnus, Ravi Toor (BA Environment and Business, 2017) is the founder of the international 3D printing filament business focused on reducing environmental impact by prioritising recycled materials and bioplastics. A former Enterprise Scholar and winner of the University’s most prestigious award for enterprise, the Sir Peter Thompson Award, Ravi now regularly presents at bootcamp and sits on the panel that judges the Scholarship applications.
He says: “It feels slightly surreal being in this position, especially as I know exactly how each of the scholars are feeling at the beginning of their business venture journey. I’ve been so fortunate in the support I received from Spark, and I know how much of a platform it can be to business success, so it’s great to be able to pass on what I’ve learned along the way”.
To find out more about Spark, get in touch with the Student Success Team at studentsuccess@leeds.ac.uk.