Entrepreneurial pods launch at MediaCityUK’s UTC

A new centre for young entrepreneurs launches at UTC@MediaCityUK tomorrow (December 16).

The ‘entrepreneurship pods’, which are located in a secure area near the front of the university technical college campus at the MediaCityUK development in Salford, will give students and the members of the community a space for developing their business ideas.

Two Year 12 students at the UTC, Benjamin Wild and Lewis Ross-Nichol, will take their idea for a graphic design, web and app development business called Wild and Ross to the new facility to develop it further.

The duo won a place in the pods after presenting their plans for Wild and Ross to the UTC’s board of governors.

The enterprise will create animations and graphics and graphics for businesses, with the long-term goal of releasing an app. Lewis’ role in the company will see him creating the coding, while Benjamin will produce the illustrations.

UTC principal Anne Casey said: “The opening of this entrepreneurial space at the UTC is a fantastic opportunity for us to mirror the success seen at other Aldridge schools.

“It will not only enable our students to put their ambitions into practice but also to enable local start-ups a supportive space to begin their ventures in the heart of MediaCityUK, whilst having the opportunity to work with the students and give back to the school community.”

The facility will be officially opened by entrepreneur Sir Rod Aldridge, founder of the Aldridge Foundation, an educational charity, and business process outsourcing company Capita. MediaCityUK’s managing director and UTC governor, Stephen Wild, will also be on hand to launch the new centre.

Sir Rod Aldridge commented: “We believe that an entrepreneurial mind-set gives the UTC’s students essential skills to achieve whatever it is they want to achieve in life.

“These entrepreneurship pods provide a unique opportunity and it’s fantastic to see Benjamin and Lewis leading the way with their exciting business idea.”

Now, the entrepreneurial pod concept is being rolled out across all Aldridge-sponsored schools and colleges.

MediaCityUK MD Stephen Wild said of the UTC: “This is the place where leading content specialists can interface and overlap with the leading technology and engineering specialists, all underpinned by the same skill base and we look forward to seeing what the young entrepreneurs within the UTC can achieve.”