SBS Blog > The right time for MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology by Dominic Chalmers

The right time for MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology

By Dominic Chalmers - Posted on 2 June 2016

Entrepreneurship lecturer Dominic Chalmers focuses on our new Masters programme in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology, and has a look at the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal, announced in 2014 and worth £1.13bn, is an initiative by both the UK and Scottish governments to invest in the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the Glasgow city region. The City Deal involves a range of construction, infrastructure and connectivity projects that will physically transform the fabric of the city and wider metropolitan region over the next 20 years.

Part of the City Deal is earmarked to fund innovation, business growth and to support the local labour market, helping to create an environment for entrepreneurship and innovative business to succeed.

That’s something we at Strathclyde Business School and at the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship are more than happy with. Innovation and entrepreneurship are at the heart of what we do. Anything that helps us in this mission is to be welcomed with open arms.

We were delighted to see the Tontine - a new centre for innovation and a part of the City Deal – open its doors recently. This innovation hub hosts flexible workspaces for entrepreneurs working in high-tech industries to grow their businesses, and is designed to support some of the innovative industries that will bring future economic growth to the city. It is also the first Glasgow City Region City Deal project to be completed in the city, and we’re looking forward to exploring ways of working with the Tontine.

Here at the Business School, the Hunter Centre has launched a new programme which completely fits the innovation and entrepreneurship zeitgeist.

According to Wired magazine, some of the most dynamic and exciting career opportunities can currently be found in the start-up and small business sectors. Increasing number of graduates are choosing to work for innovative entrepreneurial ventures rather than pursue more traditional graduate jobs.

The Hunter Centre has, from its inception, been wholeheartedly at the forefront of helping students with entrepreneurial ideas. We are part of the Strathclyde entrepreneurial ecosystem which includes the Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network (SEN), a global support network for current students and graduate; Strathclyde 100 - a network of entrepreneurial alumni and business people who support emerging Strathclyde entrepreneurs; and of course SBS was awarded the prestigious Small Business Charter Gold Award in recognition of the work we do in scaling up and supporting small businesses, joining an elite group of institutions at the forefront of entrepreneurship in the UK.

The University of Strathclyde as a whole is recognised as one of the most entrepreneurial institutions in the UK, winning the prestigious Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year award (13/14).

We’ve already seen students benefit from the work we do at the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, and they have come up with business ideas which have garnered not just acclaim but prizes and funding to take their ideas forward. For example, Revive Eco – a coffee grounds recycling business – was put together as part of an entrepreneurship competition on our undergraduate programme and, following their selection to attend a US entrepreneurial challenge, have gone on to build up their business. Rebecca Pick came up with her idea for the Personal Guardian while doing her BA Business Enterprise. An opportunity to pitch to Gabriel Investments through Strathclyde Entrepreneurial Network saw her awarded £60,000 to further her business idea. A further £1,500 from Converge Challenge Kickstart Category followed and she completed 2014 by winning the undergraduate Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Award, earning herself another £5,000. Recently, Jennifer McGregor, who has taken the Hunter Centre’s Entrepreneurial Opportunities and Ventures course as part of her degree, was awarded £10,000 from West Dunbartonshire Social Enterprise Challenge to pursue her business idea in December and recently was named West Dunbartonshire’s Citizen of the Year for helping others with her innovative social enterprise idea.

We thought it was the right time to launch a Masters programme - the MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology (MSc EIT) – to help others benefit from the entrepreneurial expertise here at SBS. We believe this programme will place graduates ahead of others when it comes to possessing the skills and knowledge required to make an impact in this fast-moving and rapidly evolving jobs market.

Rigorous cutting-edge theoretical knowledge is combined with a special focus on developing the practical skills required to engage successfully in entrepreneurial activity. Our students will be embedded in one of Europe’s leading technological universities and will have deep engagement with a dynamic innovation ecosystem. Students will also benefit from a unique virtual incubation programme in conjunction with Waterloo University, Canada, gaining direct exposure to Canada’s world-leading Technology Triangle. Students will work on a detailed innovative project in collaboration with Waterloo University to simulate bringing a product to market.

The MSc EIT is for students who either want to start their own venture, work for a fast growing start-up, intend to take over a family business or who would otherwise like to work in a supporting role in an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

We love hearing success stories from our entrepreneurial students and want to support our students and alumni however we can. We hope our new programme will see even more success stories in the future, whether that is via new start-ups or graduates with innovative and entrepreneurial ideas implementing them in already established businesses.

Have you benefited from Strathclyde's entrepreneurial ecosystem? If so, we'd love to hear from you!