Trafford firm to teach youngsters about business with new gaming app

A social enterprise in Manchester is hoping to help children learn more about business with the launch of a new gaming app.

Entreprenaws was developed by Trafford-based Stepping into Business with £250k in funding secured from Innovate UK last year

The game was built alongside Manchester-based digital agency StardotStar, which has previously created games for the BBC and other clients.

Didsbury-based educational psychologists Catalyst Psychology, meanwhile, helped design the game’s learning element and assess how it worked in tests.

Stepping into Business’ director, Dinah Turner, said: “We were already working with teachers in schools delivering enterprise and life skill programmes and as parents we know how much children like playing games on their mobile devices and tablets, so when Innovate UK asked for a company to research and develop an app for teaching young people about business, we applied and we were delighted to be successful!

“It’s been a great experience and we have just launched our first game product onto the app stores.”

Discussing the testing process, when Entreprenaws was trialled at St Anne’s RC Primary School, Dinah continued: “We worked with students, teachers and parents throughout the design process, testing everything as we went and listening to the feedback we had from the most important people, the children!

“They don’t sugar coat. If they don’t like something, they tell you! It has been invaluable to work with them in schools across the North West.”

Founded in 2014, Stepping into Business visits schools across the country to teach young people aged six to 18 about business and life skills.