“Think, Try, Do” is a philosophy.

A collaborative Student Startup support programme delivered by the Careers and Employability services at the University of Exeter and Exeter Innovation Centre.


'Think' - focusing on raising awareness and developing essential skills

'Try' - providing opportunities for experiential learning

'Do' - providing bespoke start-up business support


 Think: Try: Do focuses on identifying and fostering the startup ambitions of University of Exeter Students; giving them the chance to develop enterprise and employability skills which all business need as well the opportunity to start their own business. The programme provides training, guidance and support, as well as being able to offer funding opportunities to promote and enable entrepreneurship in Exeter.

Visit the Think. Try. Do. microsite here

Think

“Think” you’ve got an entrepreneurial idea? Learn what’s involved in creating a startup by attending enterprise skill sessions and webinars delivered by the Career Zone .

Try

“Try” out your business ideas and receive support through hands-on workshops, competitions and events, including the Microsoft Imagine Cup.

Do

“Do” determine your own startup; receive up to £4000 grant funding and bespoke business support from industry professionals at the Innovation Centre.

The success story



       

The Think stage

Are you full of good ideas and like to make things happen, but you don’t know whether starting-up your own business is for you? THINK offers students the opportunity to think about enterprise and learn what a start-up involves.

Enterprise Skill Sessions:

THINK runs a series of skills workshops designed to support students in developing enterprise skills and an entrepreneurial outlook

Inspiring Entreprenerurs Series:

THINK Inspiring Entrepreneurs events give students the chance to hear from, and put questions to, entrepreneurs who will share the secrets of their success and inspire you to take the next step

Webinars:

A webinar is an online event (live or prerecorded) that is hosted by organisations such as Companies House, HMRC, etc.

The Try stage

Providing an opportunity for students to gain experience whilst testing out their ideas, TRY helps students to develop entrepreneurial skills.

Workshops:

Every year, TRY delivers a range of workshops including: Business Modelling, Market Research and Idea validation. Students get a chance to work collaboratively on their ideas and learn new skills.

Competitions:

Pitching competitions, hackathons and the Microsoft Imagine Cup give students the opportunity to test their ideas out on local, national and international stages.

1:1 meetings

Regular support meetings help students to stay on track and work through ideas with expert advice.

The Do stage

The skills that you develop in starting a business are immensely valuable, whether that business goes on to be successful in the long term or not. We firmly believe that Exeter is a great place to start and grow a business and the support that we can offer in the “Do” phase of Student Startups will give budding entrepreneurs a great start!

Business Support:

Support from Student Entrepreneurs in Residence, opportunities to be invited to bespoke business support and surgery sessions, meetings with Experts in Residence at the Innovation Centre, networking with industry professionals at the Innovation Centre.

Events:

We organise and deliver a range of event across the year that students can get involved in including; Castle Demos, Startup Weekends, and Workshops. As well as a range of networking opportunities not just with other student entrepreneurs but with professionals working within the city of Exeter and beyond.

Funding:

Students have the opportunity to be awarded up to £4000 seed-funding per business each year. These funds are awarded to students who have made the Think Try Do journey and who have made their business known to the Innovation Centre and Student Entrepreneurs in Resdience.

The Think Try Do team

THINK: Katie Fennell

TRY: David Solomides

DO: Joe Pearce