Ignite Young Minds

Programme overview

By drawing on the Entrepreneurship Centre’s education and teaching framework, this Learn with Leaders programme is designed to help young students develop skills related with analytical thinking, creativity, leadership, social influence and the ability to work with other people, through an intensive entrepreneurial experience.

Immersive lectures, workshops and supporting activities will guide the students through the entrepreneurial process of identifying and exploring new ideas and acquiring the confidence and communication skills to work in innovative teams. Ensuring they develop these key skills as part of their personal development as they prepare to go to university and enter the future workplace or start their own venture.

What students can expect

• Academic supported rigorous learning delivered by Cambridge faculty.
• Applied learning where students are supported by mentors to help them draw insights from lectures and workshops and apply these their own ideas and thinking.
• Team building and teamwork as they work to develop an impactful idea with the potential for real world application.
• Presentation, leadership, and communication skills to help them gain the confidence to pitch ideas and influence others.
• Leveraging the key stages of the entrepreneurial journey, the programme follows a bootcamp format whereby the students will be set key challenges to requiring an innovative solution through to the exploration and pitching of their ideas to a panel of Cambridge based entrepreneurs and innovators.
• Working in small teams to develop their idea, with designated sessions helping them reflect on the skills they are using.

Programme learning objectives

As the students are supported to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, they will work to develop and appreciate the following skills and competencies associated with this mindset.

• Problem solving and creative thinking.
• What is innovation and the innovation process?
• Core business skills – business plans and financial awareness.
• Team building and teamwork.
• Personal leadership and influencing skills.
• Good communication skills and the confidence to pitch ideas and work with feedback.
• The importance of setting SMART goals and acting on these.
• How to build valuable connections and networks.
• The programme will be grounded in the University of Cambridge ecosystem, offering students the chance to meet current students, visit some of the Colleges and experience Cambridge.