The Project

The Enterprise Champion programme increases the number of new ventures and businesses started by graduates by scaling up the engagement in enterprise and entrepreneurial learning and supporting opportunities across the university campus. We substantially increase engagement in learning and support opportunities that encourage venture creation.

Who We Work With

We work with academics, undergraduates, graduate and alumni to embed enterprise learning in the next generation of business leaders. Download our brochure to see how we can support you to make your ideas happen.

What We Do

Phase One of the project ran from September 2008 until March 2010 and included 10 universities. Manchester Metropolitan University's Enterprise Champion team worked with over 1,000 students and helped to set up over 30 new businesses. We were also involved in the following activities: Flux500, Enterprise Curriculum Fellowships, Flying Start Programme, Flying Start Make It Happen, Innospace and faculty specific enterprise courses.

We deliver Continual Professional Development courses in enterprise learning for our academic colleagues. In addition, we also provide an incubator for graduate start up businesses in the centre of Manchester. Innospace is a creative, stimulating and supportive environment for the development of business ideas and the growth of start up businesses.

Stimulating enterprise and entrepreneurship across our high education instituations is now seen by many governments as fundamental to driving economic success and social cohesion. The HE Enteprise Champions Project in the North West region of England is supported by the NWDA, financed by EU funding and is managed by NCGE.

The HE NW Enterprise Champions are led by Dr. Clare Schofield, a pioneering leader in Enterprise Education at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is supported by Claire Giddens, who possesses a particular flair for regulating the finance and parameters of the project as well as enthusiastically delivering the course content, and Laura Rimmer, who enjoys the idea creation and innovation aspects of the project.

The programme is supported by both Alison Brooker and Professor Lynn Martin.

HE NW Enterprise Champions work in conjunction with Innospace, the Manchester Metropolitan University incubator. Innospace provides hot desking space for start up businesses to trade from and is managed by Richard Deighton, Emma Mawby and Afia Khatun.

Start-up Help

Through our ERDF funding, we can provide start-up help to both current Northwest students and graduates. From initial idea generation to specific business details, we can help guide you on your journey. We can organise one-to-one sessions with the team and a business advisor to produce a personal action plan, or come along to one of our many e vents held at MMU. To find out more about the , the Enterprise Academy, the Ideas Factory, Business Booster and New Directions, please click on the links provided.

Alternatively, please get in touch via the icons below: