26 Mar 2018
The Royal Agricultural University’s successful young entrepreneurs and dedicated staff have been nominated in this year’s sector-leading Guardian University Awards.
The University is one of three in the running for the prestigious Employability and Entrepreneurship award, thanks to its Enterprise Programme and support for students starting their own businesses.
Examples of businesses created by current and former students are Dartmoor Shepherd which produces gourmet lamb boxes and luxury sheepskin products, BiJimini cricket flour, Vermtek Pest Control and Jen Winnett Art, which is a collection of colourful prints and greetings cards produced from sustainable materials.
Second year RAU students Harry Devlin and Gerard Salvin are launching a business which sells designer shoes with a ‘quirky colourful style’. Devlin and Salvin shoes went through the University’s Grand Idea Competition in 2017 and came third.
The pair benefited from £1000 of funding from the programme to help them with prototype costs but just as importantly got help with legal advice, conference calls, and trademarking their name. Harry will spend some of this summer developing the business further, as part of his self-employed placement.
Katy Duke, Head of Enterprise at the RAU, said: “We’re proud that the Guardian judges have recognised the wide range of viable businesses created by students here, as well as the University’s ongoing commitment to enterprise. We’ve built and nurtured strong industry links over many years, and our entrepreneurs benefit not only from this but the knowledge and experience of their lecturers.”
The Guardian University Awards will take place on 24 April.