The response has been fantastic, with over 100 pupils signing up to take part. Through a series of Breakfast Briefings and After-School Salons, pupils will meet entrepreneurs, hear first-hand about their experiences and tackle practical challenges that encourage them to think creatively, make decisions and pitch their ideas.
Our first Breakfast Briefing kicked off on Tuesday 29 September and welcomed Dr Shrawan Patel (PharStars Ventures) and Aran Bansal (Aran Bansal Ltd). Shrawan shared his journey from testing business ideas while still at KES to working in venture capital and supporting healthcare start-ups, while Aran spoke about his route from university to running his own AI and technology business at just 22! Through a lively fireside chat, pupils heard first-hand about spotting opportunities, overcoming setbacks and turning ideas into businesses, before having the chance to network with our entrepreneurs over pastries and juice.
The programme then moved from inspiration to action with our first After-School Salon which took place on Wednesday. Pupils worked directly with entrepreneurs Chris Thomas (Cake Agency) and Aran Bansal on two hands-on business challenges. In ‘Hired or Fired? The Agency Challenge’, pupils became mini creative agencies, developing a brand, identifying a customer and creating a social media campaign before pitching their ideas. Meanwhile, ‘The £5 Million Challenge’ put pupils in the position of business decision-makers, deciding how a £5 million investment should be allocated across areas including property, distribution, staffing and technology, before delivering a 90-second pitch to defend their strategy.
It has been wonderful to see so many pupils embracing this opportunity so enthusiastically. The KE Enterprise Exchange is about more than learning how businesses work: it is about giving pupils the confidence to generate ideas, make decisions, collaborate, communicate and have a go. We are looking forward to seeing where their entrepreneurial thinking takes them next.
The next Breakfast Briefing will take place on Friday 14 November at 7.50am at the RPAC when we will welcome OE Natasha Groom from Chamberlain Wealth Management and Jag Dhaliwal from Jag’s Journey.
Mrs Sangha
