As part of GEW, the University’s Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IfEL) and Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) had organised a week of events aimed at providing support to students interested in starting up their own business, which culminated with the Start Up Weekend.

There was a high turnout from the University’s College of Engineering and School of Management. Students teams pitched and progressed their business ideas,  demonstrating good marketing and teamwork skill and by the end of the weekend had developed highly commercial products.

There was a high turnout from the University’s College of Engineering and School of Management. Students teams pitched and progressed their business ideas, demonstrating good marketing and teamwork skills, before finally developing highly commercial products.

Highlights included Swansea student Jacob Neal winning a place at the Big Ideas Wales Bootcamp, securing £250 for his business idea for a mobile phone charger powered by walking or cycling. At the close of the event the College of Engineering team came third and the School of Management team took fourth place.

The hard work put in by all ensured Swansea was the highest placed city in the UK and Europe and in the global competition, Swansea was place ninth in the social media coverage category.

Dave Bolton, Enterprise Manager at Swansea University, took part in the event and said, “The event now in its second year is helping to promote Swansea, its people and educational institutions as being some of the most entrepreneurial in Europe. I’m extremely proud of our students for the effort put in this weekend and what has been achieved. It’s been an honour to work with them”.