Entrepreneurs in Residence
Business
Our Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) offer business start-up advice to our students, alumni or staff to launch or grow their business.
Our current team of 20 experienced entrepreneurs and senior level business executives use their experience to help others plan, develop, network and market their new business. In return, our Entrepreneurs in Residence benefit from access to our research, events and partnerships across the University.
Read on to find out more about the positive impact our Entrepreneurs in Residence have on our business community and how they benefit from involvement with the University.
Each entrepreneur offers their unique expertise, a willingness to share their experience, and all have a passion for working with our students and staff.
How Entrepreneurs in Residence help students, staff and alumni
Our Entrepreneurs in Residence help students, staff and alumni to develop business ideas and deal with the challenges of starting a new business. The entrepreneurs share their knowledge on the impact of change in the business industry and the skills needed to succeed today.
Our Entrepreneurs in Residence can mentor University startups, offer guest speaking, help academics in their research and advise groups or individuals on the early stages of business development.
Areas of advice include:
- Developing entrepreneurial skills
- Exploring business ideas
- Providing business startup advice
- Developing business plans
- Advising on funding
- Helping to identify markets
- Advising on commercialisation of research
- Supporting academic research
- Accessing business networks
Our Entrepreneurs in Residence also organise inspirational talks for students, help with curriculum development and support the University’s focus on entrepreneurship.
I am thrilled to be an Entrepreneur in Residence. I envisage inspiring young women like myself to pursue their dreams, regardless of background and gender
Benefits of becoming an Entrepreneur in Residence
Entrepreneurs who join the programme can take advantage of many benefits of involvement, including:
- Access to our research
- Invitations to industry, research and networking events
- The potential of new partnerships
- The energy and enthusiasm surrounding startups
I've embraced the opportunity to connect with the city, make new partnerships and generate real momentum in order to give something back to our community
Our current Entrepreneurs in Residence
We currently have 20 Entrepreneurs in Residence at the University of Portsmouth. Find out more about their career journeys and the areas they can provide business support in by clicking the links to their full profiles.
Faz Forhad Ahmed
Restaurant owner and founder: Akash Restaurant and 'Curry by Air'
Leonora Asomanin
Creative Director: Là Mo Designs
Alan Barrell
Professor and business angel
Heather Barrie
Founder and director: Harrie's Coffee
Kevin Briscoe
Director: Briscoe PR
Nathan Cable
Co-founder and head of sales and marketing: Party Hard Travel
Phil Carr
CEO: My PT Hub (Fitii Ltd)
Albert Choi
Director: Albert Choi Associates Ltd
Sarah Goodall
Founder: Tribal Impact
SJ Hunt
CEO and Company Secretary: Parity Trust
Mitch Lee
Chef, teacher and owner: Mitch's Kitchen
Shirin Lee
HR professional and owner: Mitch's Kitchen
Rachel Lowe
Owner: Rachel Lowe Limited
Jinx Prowse
CEO: Music Fusion
Graeme Quar
Head of Commercial Law: Biscoes Solicitors
Sandra Sassow
Co-founder: SEAB Energy and SEAB Power
Mark Smith
Executive chairman and founder: The Car Finance Company
Anne Stevens
Independent human resource adviser, board mentor and non-executive director
David Thomson
CEO and founder: Suada
Ming Wu
Product designer and co-founder: The Makers' Guild
Requirements of becoming an Entrepreneur in Residence
Before nominating an entrepreneur, please take a look at the experience and skills required.
Entrepreneur in Residence requirements
Essential experience
- Significant leadership in an innovation-led business or social enterprise with significant relationships with innovation-led businesses
- Developing managers and successful operations in innovation-led operations
- One or more functional areas related to innovation leadership such as opportunity recognition, product and service design, strategic planning, organisational development and change management, investment and financial management, human resource management, operations management, customer insight, sales and marketing
Desirable experience
- Business-university partnerships
- Social innovation and the creation of social value
- Developing and delivering advice, support or training to business leaders outside your own company
- Using social media to support objectives and develop virtual communities
Essential skills
- The ability to motivate and enthuse others, and work effectively as part of a team from diverse backgrounds
- Strong verbal communication, with the ability to communicate to a variety of audiences including business and civic leaders, social innovators, students, graduates and academics
- Understanding the needs of entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
- Analysis and critical thinking, and the ability to develop these in others
- An openness to new and diverse ways of developing leaders of innovation
- The implementation and organisation of turning ideas into reality
- Understanding the role that universities and business schools play in driving economic growth
- Respecting the skills and knowledge of all communities involved in the University, including academics, businesses, social enterprises, end user communities and the public sector
- Working in and contributing to collaborative innovation networks
- Understanding the priorities, objectives and development of student startups, and small and medium-sized enterprises
Desirable skills
- Creative thinking, with an ability to apply this to the development of the University's activities and to nurture and develop this in others
- Engaging with the professional press and media to promote entrepreneurship
- Understanding academic culture and behaviours
- A willingness to work outside normal office hours, including evenings and occasional attendance at breakfast and evening business events will be required
- The ability to meet the travel requirements of the post, such as attendance at business events
- A willingness to share experience with the University's wider network, such as the Small Business Charter and the Entrepreneur in Residence network project
Do you know someone who would make a great Entrepreneur in Residence?
If you know an entrepreneur or business executive who could inspire our staff, students and alumni, nominate them to become an Entrepreneur in Residence by emailing eir@port.ac.uk.
If you'd like to find out more about the programme, please get in touch.
