Global Entrepreneurship Week at Glasgow Caledonian

Glasgow Caledonian University is holding a series of events to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week beginning on Monday, November 13.

Staff, students and members of the public are invited to sign up here and join in the variety of events, including inspiring talks designed to facilitate dialogue and thought, and information sessions and informal sessions where you can meet the staff supporting entrepreneurship at Glasgow Caledonian.

The event is being organised by Glasgow Caledonian's entrepreneurship service UHatch, supported by the Research Innovation Office (RIO). UHatch is the primary hub for entrepreneurship, start-up and commercialisation support for staff, students and graduates.

One of the highlights is a keynote in The Lantern on Monday, November 13 from 2.30-3.30pm, entitled From Journalism to Climate Justice: Scotland needs academic diversity to be a successful entrepreneurial nation - Professor Ross Tuffee.

The Professor will give his vision of what an entrepreneurial campus looks like. He will also share his experiences of being an entrepreneur; the mind set and the skills required to be an entrepreneur; failure and its importance; as well as hurdles and strategies and what he has learned in his career. The talk will allow for a dynamic Q&A and dialogue at the end.

Professor Tuffee is a tech entrepreneur and government advisor. Having studied geography at university, Ross joined EY in London, moving to Scotland in 1997 to work for Diageo the global drinks giant. Fifteen years ago, he left corporate life and set up his own start up - Dogfish Mobile - just after Apple first launched their iPhone.

Having sold his company in 2017, Professor Tuffee now focuses on coaching and supporting start-up and scale-up businesses. He has a passion for inspiring young people to consider a career in technology and entrepreneurship, encouraging the teaching of both in our schools, colleges, and universities. He is the co-author of the Scottish Government’s recently published Policy Paper “The Entrepreneurial Campus” and is an Honorary Professor and Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Stirling.

There will also be a Support for Social Business Spin Out event that day, delivered by Community Enterprise in Scotland, Challenges Worldwide and MacRoberts LLP. These three organisations, supported by Scottish Government, will share information on their free programme of comprehensive support available to academics to spin out and commercialise business ideas that have social and environmental impact.

On the Tuesday, there will be a Social Business Creativity Café, linking in with the Common Good and the University’s mission for social innovation, and an Engaging with the Entrepreneurial Campus as a Researcher event, with a chance to meet the RIO team.

That day will end with a UHatch Fireside Chat and Pizza Party with Samuel Agdebe. This is part of a series of Fireside Chats with entrepreneurs about their journey and experience of being an entrepreneur, combined with a special edition of UHatch’s pizza party drop in. Pop in for a slice of pizza and hear from Samuel about his podcast – The Stories that Shape Us, all about the power of personal stories to inspire and connect us.

On the Wednesday, there will be a UHatch Drop in and Donut where people can pop in and find out more about UHatch, and on the Thursday there will be a Pitching Workshop with Converge event focusing how to elevate a business idea pitch.

The Bridging Communities Networking Event takes place on the Thursday where the community can network with stakeholders from the University, and Friday will be the RIO Doors Open Day with cake, an informal drop-in to find out more about research, innovation and entrepreneurship services.