Entrepreneurs in Wales are creating and developing unique businesses every day. With a wide variety of business owners and investors as well as state of the art research and infrastructure facilities, Wales has all the attributes to guide its growing list of entrepreneurs.
In fact, active Welsh graduate start-ups account for more than 13% of the UK total, the highest rate per capita in the UK. Ensuring Wales continues to provide a base for budding entrepreneurs is a priority for all of Wales’ outstanding universities.
So how are Welsh universities playing their part?
From Cardiff University’s Enterprise and Start-up Team which helps students develop skills and innovation techniques, to Aberystwyth University supporting the next ‘Aberpeneurs’, there’s plenty of support and expert advice on offer.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the University South Wales (USW) recorded the highest number of graduate start-up businesses in Wales in 2021. A remarkable £30,000 of funding was distributed to student and graduate entrepreneurs.
Wrexham Glyndwr University recently hosted a unique event, Venture Vault, open to students offering a whopping £10,000 investment towards their business. The team at Glyndwr brought in the very best experts in the industry to support the next batch of entrepreneurs in Wales.
Developing your enterprise skills are important, not just for the self-employed, but also to those in employment. That’s why ‘B-enterprising’ at Bangor University was developed to help support students with alternative career prospects and skill sets. The results at Bangor speak for themselves; in 2020, 70 students received £36,000 of funding to test trade or towards market research. In addition to this, 72 students received one to one mentoring with a business advisor from Big Ideas Wales in over 100 online meetings.
Student enterprise is truly embedded within the culture and curriculum at Swansea University, where student start-ups are thriving with the help of their award-winning Enterprise Team. For aspiring entrepreneurs, The Launch Pad is a dedicated space for guidance and advice. This is where you’ll meet fellow student entrepreneurs, develop your business ideas, and start your own business.
Do you enjoy socialising, meeting new people and attending fun events? Creative Bubble is a venue in Swansea where University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) students and graduates run pop-up shops, exhibitions, performances and other fun events. In collaboration with Swansea BID, this project has helped build confidence, increased employability and encouraged networking across disciplines. Many students who have attended some of the networking evenings have had paid work with businesses in Swansea.
And if you’re interested in people, planet and profit, then Cardiff Met’s Enactus is the right place for you. It’s a not-for-profit student led organisation developed by Cardiff Metropolitan University, working towards bettering the lives of people in need by developing social projects locally and internationally. And the university’s Centre for Entrepreneurship recently hosted the inaugural “Day of Entrepreneurship” and CFE Entrepreneurship Awards to celebrate and recognise the entrepreneurial achievements of students, graduates and staff across Cardiff Met.
If you’re choosing to study abroad, choose Wales.
All of Wales’ universities offer entrepreneurial support in a variety of ways. No matter where you study, you won’t miss out on any opportunities.
The Welsh entrepreneurial spirit is higher than ever. Millions of pounds are being invested each year into new sustainable innovative businesses. Students in Wales have access to unique facilities, mentors, academics and research to help the next generation of business leaders flourish.
What are you waiting for? Study in Wales, and share your drive and ambition with the world.
