Stephanie Beattie and Kaspar Soltero are the co-founders of Biobale, a venture providing a biodegradable hay wrapping solution for farmers, which reduces the negative impacts of regular plastic on the environment, livestock, and people. They said:
“We’ve had a blast during the Summer Startup Programme so far! We’re now underway with initial trials of our compostable bale wrap, and making good progress. The variety of different people we’ve met through our involvement in the Programme has helped expose us to a range of perspectives on the problems we face. We’re currently working on the pitch we will deliver at the final Summer Showcase pitching event in a few weeks, and are also excited to get another trial underway soon!”
Finally, Caitlin Dow has been working on her venture Identify, which offers laser-cut, eco-friendly earrings. She told us:
“The Summer Startup Programme has been a great place to validate my idea and particularly work on the business side of my venture. Coming into the programme, I knew very little about business, so for me, this programme has provided a whole lot of learning in so many areas I never even knew existed. As a Product Design student, I couldn’t have asked for a more valuable experience that adds so much onto my degree. I started the programme with only a few sketches and a rough idea. Here I am today, having already sold 65 pairs of earrings before I have even launched into the market, and my goal is to get my products launched by the end of the programme.”
We are delighted to hear how much these students have learned and progressed their ventures throughout the last eight weeks. With the end of the programme coming near, all the Summer Startup students are now working on their pitches for the end of the summer, with the goal of being selected as one of the top 10 ventures, who will present at our Summer Startup Showcase on February the 4th (which you can register for now!).
The UCE Summer Startup Programme is a chance for students to work on fast-tracking the development of their ideas into realistic business ventures for 10 weeks over the summer. To find out more about the UCE Summer Startup Programme, click here.
For further information please contact:
UC Centre for Entrepreneurship (UCE) by emailing uce@canterbury.ac.nz
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