Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme Information Pack and Application Form What is LSBU s Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme (GES)? Student Enterprise at LSBU
This is a unique opportunity for you to establish, build and grow your business. The programme runs for 12 months from October 2016 to October 2017. You will take part in workshops and talks and gain access to networks and potential mentors. You ll work with GES alumni, our 4 Entrepreneurs in Residence and legal and intellectual property specialists. You will have access to a desk in our GES hub in the Clarence Centre at LSBU during the programme. You will also have access to a loan to help you start and grow your business. Who can apply? LSBU graduates with a business idea that has been validated, and/or LSBU graduates in the early stages of running a business. We are looking for innovative, motivated and committed graduates, who have the ambition to create and grow a business. We understand that you maybe working part-time alongside starting your business, but we expect graduates to be using the office space for a minimum of 3 days a week. You can apply as single or co-founders; we welcome applications from teams (only one applicant needs to be an LSBU graduate). You must have graduated from LSBU within the last 5 years and cannot apply if you have previously taken part in LSBU Rocket or GES. The Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme is not open to International graduates. If you are an international graduate with a business idea, please contact international.advice@lsbu.ac.uk to complete a Checklist to confirm if you are eligible to apply for LSBU's International Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme. How to apply: Enclosed within this information pack is the initial application form that must be returned to the LSBU Student Enterprise team by 12noon on Friday 7th October 2016 applications should be emailed to studententerprise@lsbu.ac.uk Selection Process and Key dates: The first stage of the process is to complete the enclosed application form (please do not write more than the specified word count). From the application forms, we will shortlist the strongest applications and invite you to attend a two day Assessment Centre, where you will pitch your business idea, participate in group activities and have an interview. The successful businesses will then be notified and invited to join GES which starts on the 27th and 28th October 2016. Activity: Applications close Assessment centre: pitch, group task, interview Successful candidates notified Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme (GES) starts Dates: Friday 7th October 2016 by 12noon Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th October 2016 (if shortlisted, you will be notified of the days and times you need to attend) Friday 21st October 2016 (by 5pm) There will be a 2 day induction for all participants on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th October 2016.
Application form Please complete all sections Are you applying as: Single founder Team Your details: First name Surname Course you studied Student number Year you graduated If applying as a team, please include team details below: *if applicable Are any of your team international students? Yes No
Section 1: Idea and Market Research and short description of your idea/business (Max. 200 words) Who is your target customer and what is the need for your business? Try and put yourself into the customer s place to answer this question. (Max. 200 words) What market research have you completed to date to test your idea? Have you undertaken surveys, focus groups, sampling sessions? How many of your target audience have you spoken with? What was the outcome of this research? (Max. 250 words) Do you think that there is Intellectual Property in the idea? If so what type and who does it belong to? This is asking whether you have copyright, design, trademark or an invention to be patented and who it belongs to (Max.100 words)
Section 2: Idea and Market Research How will your proposed business idea make money? (Max. 150 words) What is your Unique Selling Point (USP) that means customers will come to you instead of your competitors? (Max. 150 words) How much investment do you need to develop your idea and what will you do with the money? For example will it be spent on product development, staff, marketing, stock. (Max. 150 words) What milestones would you like to achieve whilst you are on GES? (Max. 200 words) Time frame Milestones you would like to achieve Oct-Dec 2016 Jan-March 2017 April-June 2017 July- Sept 2017
Section 3: About you Why do you want a place on the scheme? What relevant skills, experience and qualities would you bring? (Max. 200 words) What is your vision for this business? (Max. 150 words) If you are applying as a single founder, what team will you need to build to make the business happen? (Max. 100 words) The programme will require you to work on your business pretty much full time and any loan borrowed cannot be spent on your living expenses. How do you intend to sustain yourself during your time on GES? (Max. 100 words)
Please give details of an LSBU Academic staff member who we can speak to about your interest in applying for GES: : Title: adress: By submitting this application, I confirm that: This idea/business is my own idea If my application is successful, I can attend the Assessment Days (17th & 18th Oct 2016) If I am successful in gaining a place on GES, I can confirm that I can attend the two induction days (27th & 28th Oct 2016) Print name: Signature: Date: Please complete these monitoring questions: Personal information is collected in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Personal information will be held securely and not passed on to others, unless you have given your consent or requested by law. Male Female Do you have a disability? Yes No Prefer not to say We ask this question to help ensure that we support applicants through the GES recruitment process and when they are on the scheme. If yes, please provide details of the nature of the disability: Ethnicity Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi Asian or Asian British - Indian Asian or Asian British - Pakistani Other Asian background Black or Black British - African Black or Black British - Caribbean Black or Black British - Caribbean Chinese Not Known (e.g. adopted) Information Refused Mixed - White & Black African Mixed - White & Asian Mixed - White & Black Caribbean Other Mixed background White - British White - Irish Other White background Other Ethnic background (Please Specify) Return completed forms by 12pm on Friday 7 October 2016 to studententerprise@lsbu.ac.uk Or post to F.A.O. Student Enterprise Team, London South Bank University, Clarence Centre for Enterprise & Innovation 6 St George s Circus, London SE1 6FE