Budding entrepreneurs from local schools were recently invited to London Business School’s Marylebone Campus for a day focused on enterprise.
The LBS Enterprise for Schools initiative allows teenagers from in and around London to experience London Business School’s teaching and community. The event brought together 50 year 10 pupils who took part in a Dragons’ Den-style contest to design a learning app.
The 14 and 15-year-olds from King Solomon Academy, Paddington Academy, The Abbey School in Faversham and Hatch End High School in Harrow met London Business School entrepreneurs from a mixture of small business and start-ups including Le Salon, Taste of Kenya, MarkIt!!, Kat’s Whiskers, Sportskred and Life-Unlock.
The day’s packed agenda also included a Faculty keynote from Jeff Skinner, Executive Director of the Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and a presentation skills workshop delivered by Andrew Tollinton, President of the LBS Toastmasters Club.
It was a pleasure to give a younger generation a taste of what we do at the School and we hope that experiential opportunities like this might provide some inspiration for their future.
26 staff from the business school volunteered to host the day. This included 10 team captains, each mentoring a team and guiding them through the challenge of designing an app and presenting their business plan to a panel of judges.
The Abbey School team, who pitched an idea for an app to raise awareness about mental health, were awarded the top prize, presented by Professor Sir Andrew Likierman, Dean of London Business School. The young entrepreneurs, captained by Jane Charlton, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, came up with the app, You’re Not Alone, featuring a chat forum with professionals, tips on mindfulness and a daily diary to rate their mood.
Bonnie, from the winning team, said “I found the real-life business scenarios very useful. There was a lot to take away from the day and it has boosted my confidence.”
Niomie Benjamin, Senior Digital Communications Manager, and a member of the organising committee, said “We are incredibly proud of LBS Enterprise for Schools and the enthusiastic pupils who took part. It was a pleasure to give a younger generation a taste of what we do at the School and we hope that experiential opportunities like this might provide some inspiration for their future.”
