This week saw the launch of Kent Innovation i-Teams 2023, an 8-week knowledge exchange programme which brings together innovative students from across the University to tackle real business problems.
Tudor Price, Deputy Chief Executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, has once again brought his energy and broad commercial expertise to the programme, leading the sessions with the pizazz that only someone trained in theatrics could achieve on a dark, cold winters’ evening after a long day of work and study. Alongside him, in The Apprentice style fashion, are his three trusted mentors; Director of Sustainability and Business Services Ltd, Andrew Stevens, Independent Broker, Graham Card and Head of HR, Julia Card. Rather than critique their interdisciplinary teams, however, they will impart their valuable business knowledge to the students and guide them as they address one of three challenges set by business sponsors located in the Medway region:
Tackling Space Junk with BAE Systems
BAE Systems, which has a base in Rochester, develop technological and engineering solutions to many of the world’s leading businesses and the space industry is a growing area of interest to the organisation. They want to better understand what the challenges are for businesses that create this space junk and what opportunities exist that we might explore. They have challenges students to explore:
1) Issues created by space junk and then develop concepts and solutions that address these issues
2) What concepts, regulatory framework, agreements (if any) might prevent the further contamination of the earth’s orbit
Growing Vesper247’s multi-million online fashion brand
Vesper247 is a British female fashion brand sold internationally. They strive to be fashion forward, innovative, and passionate; catering for every female lifestyle from office to evening wear. As a UK fashion ecommerce business, they are data rich but need to understand their target customer base more intimately. They have challenged students to develop a range of solutions as part of a roadmap for growth that might include a variety of channels of engagement, new and existing concepts, behavioural trends of the target customer, influencing factors such as beliefs, culture, values, and other insights.
Designing commercial sustainability into The Docking Station
The Institute for Creative & Cultural Industries is developing a facility at the Chatham Historic Dockyard, known as The Docking Station, that will serve the needs of creative businesses within the Thames Estuary region and beyond. The location will comprise co-working space, hi-spec digital studios for commercial use, meeting rooms/community space and a café. The initial construction and fit out is being externally funded but the day to day operation will need to be commercially sustainable. The project sponsors have challenged i-Teams students to consider this commercial sustainability and put forward solutions and concepts that address this challenge.
Over the course of the next 8 weeks, the student teams will apply IBM’s Design Thinking methodology to solving these challenges, before pitching their ideas to all three businesses sponsors at the Grand Final. Along the way, they will have the opportunity to learn from a range of business experts on subjects including marketing, sustainability and presentation skills.
The programme is kindly funded by Medway Council and organised by the Business Relationships team in Research and Innovation Services, whose role at the University is to bring academic expertise, technology and facilities to businesses to help them overcome challenges, innovate and grow.