With the launch of the ‘Future Me’ Academies at the start of 2021, the College formed a partnership with AUT, to oversee the College Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Academy is designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs to launch a new product or service, or develop an existing one.

To mark the end of this year’s Academy, the first ‘Dragon’s Den’ was held online, with nine different businesses pitching their concept to a panel of experts. We were fortunate to have Catherine Newton and Mike Hutcheson in attendance, the creators of the Practical Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme at AUT. We were also privileged to have the business, finance and entrepreneur expertise of Old Collegians, Cam Wallace and Elliott Kernohan to provide feedback and ultimately to help select a business to receive initial start-up funds.

The presentations and proposals from members of the Academy were outstanding and it is exciting to know that the future of innovation and entrepreneurship will be led by our talented young people.

Our first winner was Josh Evangelidakis (Year 11), whose company, Block Space, created a plastic spacer designed to allow builder to lay blocks in bad weather.

The second winner was Abby Davidson (Year 10) for her product Rock.r Board, a balance board designed to reduce pain from standing at a standing desk, or pain from standing for long periods of time. 

Following the presentation, Mr Hutcheson posted a video saying, ‘We were blown away by the ideas presented at the Saint Kentigern Innovation Academy’s Dragons Den finale. From plastic extrusions for the construction industry to orthopaedic devices for standing desks - this country has no fear of running out of clever, ambitious and clear-thinking young entrepreneurs of the future. By using our Periodic Table of Innovation as a framework, the students presented some outstanding concepts and business plans. We are proud to be a part of it.’

We would like to thank Catherine Newton and Mike Hutcheson from AUT for the opportunity for our students to be a part of this fantastic programme and for their time and energy in guiding and supporting our learners towards their business goals, and to Cam Wallace and Elliott Kernohan for the time and energy they generously invested in the ‘Dragon’s Den’ evening 

If you would like to see and hear from Mike Hutcheson his thoughts and feelings on our Academy, please follow this link to his video. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mike-hutcheson-6b8a237_entrepreneur-innovation-students-activity-6841228157010485248-inHH

Tags

• Future Me,
• Academies,
• Business,
• Econimics

Share this