Innovation, Start-ups and Entrepreneurship

As the University shifts its culture to support the objectives of the NeW Futures strategic plan, we offer an opportunity for staff along with students to participate in a new entrepreneurial interdisciplinary professional development course.

The course, Innovation, Startups and Entrepreneurship, combines an initial 4-day immersive bootcamp style workshop starting 18th July, with a fortnightly evening lecture program and will provide applicants with an understanding of entrepreneurship and the creation of startup businesses.

It will be taught by experienced entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, futurists, business strategists and corporate leaders sourced from both Australia and overseas (see speakers below). Topics covered across the course will include, but not be limited, to how to build a product customers want, strategies to grow your business, best practice in financial modelling, navigate the complexities of IP and how to raise the all-important capital for your ideas.

The course is available as a professional development unit as well as for credit at level 4. In this pilot year, staff interested in undertaking the course, and not receiving university credit, can undertake the course without fees. Staff choosing to enrol in the not-for-credit course, will have varying assessment items from participants undertaking the course for-credit and will therefore not be able to claim credit at a later date.

The course is an exciting development in the University’s lead strategy of developing the UON Entrepreneur.  Interested staff are encouraged to discuss the opportunity with managers to support the University's aspirations to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit of our staff and students.

For more details on the course and to register your expression of interest please visit: http://www.newcastle.edu.au/course/STAR4000

Guest speakers include:

Marcus Westbury - 'Social Enterprise Entrepreneurship'

An introduction to Social Enterprise and using entrepreneurial skills for community benefits. Marcus Westbury looks at the role, nature and challenges of social enterprise through the prism of projects he has founded and run such as Renew Newcastle, Renew Australia and the Collingwood Arts Precinct. These projects are all examples of initiatives that mix ideas from business and the not for profit sector to facilitate unconventional and successful community outcomes.

Tim Fung - 'Why  Entrepreneurship'

Sean Parker ex Napster and Facebook once said, "Running a start-up is like eating glass. You just start to like the taste of your own blood." Tim will take us on his journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur. Tim is CEO and co-founder of Airtasker - a trusted community marketplace for people and businesses to outsource tasks, find local services or hire flexible staff in minutes - online or via mobile.

Mark Pesce - 'Disruption an opportunity for entrepreneurs'

Mark will deliver the keynote address at the bootcamp. He will speak about the fact that 21st century entrepreneurs need to work from a mind-set where every human being is connected all of the time via high speed networks to every product and every service and every bit of information they can imagine. This ‘appification’ of business has only barely begun. Very few businesses are good at it. The 21st century’s best entrepreneurs learn how to start and grow them, integrating their businesses into a connected economy of more than five billion collaborators and competitors.

Ash Maurya - 'Business modelling for startups and building products that customers want'

In this two-day section of the bootcamp, students will learn a systematic methodology, developed through rigorous testing of Lean Startup, customer development, and bootstrapping techniques on hundreds of products, that will show you exactly how to get entrepreneurs to focus on the right actions for building the right product.

Jane Huxley - 'Running an international startup'

Jane will talk about her role as Managing Director (AU/NZ) of Pandora one of the world's largest streaming services. Pandora has over 250 million users and Jane will talk about what it takes to run an international startup on a day-to-day basis. What are the behaviours required to be successful, it’s not the “what” that drives a successful idea or individual, it’s the “how” we go about getting stuff done.

Adam Ferrier - 'Building a strong brand and influencing your customer’s behaviour'

Adam will be talking about what every psychologist and advertising executive knows - how to change the behaviour of other people. Adam believes we are all in the behaviour change business, and the better we are at changing the behaviour of others the happier and more successful we'll be.

Elaine Stead - 'Raising Capital for your Startup'

Why raise capital for your startup. What sources of capital are available? What is the process of raising capital. Elaine will talk about key terminology and documents. What do investors want to see before they will invest?

Pozible - 'Crowdfunding your business'

Crowdfunding is about building your fanbase, breaking away from gatekeepers and getting that cash to help make your passion project become a reality. Pozible will be offering advice on how to plan your project, tips for running your campaign, and pretty much everything you need to know to drop a successful crowd funding campaign.

Related news

• Shanae’s passion for caring delivers her dream to work in health
• Food and nutrition degree serves Keren a rewarding career
• Kicking goals on and off the field, Joeli proves you can do it all
• Proving age is just a number, Arlyn wants to inspire more women in their 50s to pursue education
• Sky’s the limit for graduates on the Central Coast