Practicing the pitch: MWC investigators attend entrepreneurs workshop
26 October 2016
Meet the budding global entrepreneurs, or “überpreneurs”: seventeen associate and affiliate investigators from the Maurice Wilkins Centre who recently completed a two-day workshop designed to nurture their entrepreneurial mindsets and world-changing ideas.
Under the expert guidance of former Queensland Chief Scientist Professor Peter Andrews, and science and innovation policy analyst Dr Fiona Wood, the 17 early career researchers learnt some of the key characteristics of highly-successful entrepreneurs, and the skills required to develop and run a business.
The participants were inspired by Steve Henry from Kode Biotech Ltd and Ben O’Brien, co-founder of StretchSense, who shared their own pathways as change-makers. The two successful Kiwi entrepreneurs also provided invaluable insight and advice for those keen to understand the link between innovation and entrepreneurship.
The workshop culminated with participants pitching their ideas to a panel of high-level players in the investment, science, public or NGO spaces. Scott Ferguson from the University of Otago delivered the winning pitch of the day and described the workshop as a valuable opportunity to interact with a varied group of researchers. “We all gained a clear understanding in the importance of being able to present our research projects in a concise and clear manner for potential investors.”
The workshop was the first Dr Fiona Wood and Professor Peter Andrews have run in New Zealand. “We were impressed by the extraordinary talent reflected in the participants drawn from the Maurice Wilkins Centre,” Dr Wood concluded.
Congratulations to pitch winners: Scott Ferguson (1st & People's Choice); Joanna Mathy (2nd); and Carol Anne Greene (3rd).
