The three-day Enviro-Entrepreneurs course will be hosted by the University of Westminster and will run from 4th to 6th July.

Project manager Sophie Easteal told edie:
“We want to help people with an idea and the get up and go to make it into a reality to set up their own business.

“We’re primarily looking for graduates or professionals from a design or engineering background who have a product or service in mind or who are possibly at the prototype stage to move things on to the next level.

“The programme involves giving designers the basic skills for developing a sustainable business proposal.

“For those students who achieve this, the support continues through London Remade’s ‘enhance’ programme, a free service that offers expert advice on business development, marketing and access to funding and premises – just what a successful entrepreneur needs to realise their ‘big idea’.”

This is the summer school’s second year and Ms Esteal told edie this year’s course had been adapted to even better meet the demands of the students following feedback from last year’s graduates.

“The main comment was that people wanted more about financial planning, which we have now incorporated,” she said.

“We’ve tailored things to their needs to make the training as useful as possible.”

The school aims to identify, encourage and nurture aspiring graduates who have a passion for recycling and a belief in the importance of environmental technologies.

It is run by London Remade and business consultants QED and would-be students must be based in the capital or be planning to set up their company there.

Chris Moon, took part in last year’s school and is one of its success stories.
His new company Waste4Recycling has since gone on to produce his big idea, the eco-bin.

“The school helped me to clarify my business ideas and provided inspiration, confidence and planning for the next steps,” he said.

“It helped me identify sources of further help and advice for the early stages of my business development.”

Up to 30 candidates will be chosen to take part in the school following a selection process which will identify the candidates with the most entrepreneurial potential.

Applications must be received by the end of May, details can be found on the organisation’s website.

by Sam Bond

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