“Everyday we wake up some new event is changing our lives. Can social entrepreneurs hold an answer to that but how we can play roles in doing it?” Founder and CEO of Cambio Peter Ptashko asked during opening remarks at the ImpactU Roadshow.
The event, which was hosted at MShed on 13 May brought together about 50 stakeholders involved in university affiliated social ventures from across the UK to discuss starting, scaling, supporting and funding for social venture enterprises and spin outs.
Michele Barbour delivers Keynote Address
University of Bristol Vice-Chancellor Enterprise and Innovation Michelle Barbour delivered the keynote address, which highlighted the dramatic increase in disclosures from the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Science. Over the last twelve months, FALSS has seen a 120% increase in disclosures to the Commericalisation team.
“Why is this happening? A lot of factors: Lorraine Fairbanks and Robin Halpenny and the colleagues in the Commercialisation team – a fantastic team of individuals. These people are out and about in the faculties speaking to academics, speaking to researchers,” Barbour said, adding, “They are the bedrock on which this is founded.”
Other key factors Barbour identified in her keynote included programs like University Enterprise Fellowships (UEFs) and Early Career Enterprise Fellowships (ECEFs) that provide researchers with opportunities to explore enterpreneurial applications of their research.
“The Fellowship has been instrumental to give me headspace and thinki about the different aspects I would need to develop before moving to the creation of a potential spin-out., one University Enterprise Fellow was quoted.
Bristol is emerging as a hub for social ventures
The keynote address was followed with an insightful panel discussions on the future of Social Ventures in times of uncertainty featuring Chris Blues, Rachel Abernethy, Michele Barbour, Lucy McCarthy and Adam Kobeissi.
Location was a key factor for the success of social ventures with several panelists commenting on Bristol’s unique position in supporting these projects.
“ImpactU is a consoritum of about 42 universities. We have a variable response from different places, Rachel Abernethy from Oxford University said. “We have a history of trying to promote social ventures. Bristol has a very strong culture of it in this city which you can play off.”
Panelist (Dr/Prof) Lucy McCarthy recently spun out the Circular Agricultural Hub from the University of Bristol. The hub seeks to connect farmers with sources for their pre-farm gate surplus, helping communities experiencing food insecurity and supporting food growers.
“Anything we establish has to be along ecological principles. Bristol is fantastic at understanding that and supporting it,” McCarthy said.
New and established social ventures showcase their impact
The afternoon session featured a social venture showcase.
Artemis Fragkopoulos from Slant presented on revolutionizing how things are transported within cities. Fragkopoulos cited research showing that 25% of emissions generated from transporting goods come from going from the outskirts of a city into its destination. Slant will be filing a patent on new technology through which they hope to find sustainable solutions to reduce transportation emisssions within cities.
Sally Good, CEO of Evidence to Impact, presented on how Assist methodology has helped deliver teaching to students, going from a stop smoking trial in 1995 to expanding to helping deliver teaching on drugs, phyiscal activity, sexual health, gambling and sleep.
Finally, Sofia Sukach and Supharat Tantanarungsee, students from the Centre for Innovations and Enterpreneurship at the University of Bristol, showcased an app they are developing to help improve financial literacy among students and reduce overconsumption.
The day concluded with a fireside chat and roundtable discussion.