VIBES Week: Henley partners with NatWest to support budding entrepreneurs

Over 600 Business and Management students put their entrepreneurial skills to the test during VIBES Week. The five-day programme opened with lectures introducing key concepts in entrepreneurship, before students teamed up to develop and present their own innovative business ideas.

NatWest professionals were on hand to provide valuable support and guidance to help students refine their ideas and build the confidence to present them. The week culminated in five exceptional teams presenting their ideas to a panel of judges featuring NatWest regional director Dan Salanson and Jurek Sikorski, Director of Henley Enterprise Lab.

Andy Dent, NatWest Relationship Director, said:

“This is the 4th year that NatWest has participated with VIBES Week, I think the energy levels were as high as ever. It’s a huge organisational achievement for the business school to pull off, and the ideas of the students were so diverse and interesting.”

Dan Salanson, NatWest Regional Director said:

“We never struggle for volunteers to come to VIBES Week. For many people it’s the highlight of the year – to see the energy and the ideas from the students.”

The winning group, Bio Stitch, impressed the judges with their concept for medical stitches that change colour when infected, earning them a £500 cheque sponsored by NatWest to help bring their idea to life.

Antonia, a student from ‘Bio Stitch’ team, said: "It was a unique experience that I’ve not had before. Once we all locked in and focused on what we wanted to do, it became a really interesting learning experience. Most things you’ll look for have been invented, so you’ve got to think outside the box and look at different perspectives, the things that already exist and how you can improve them."

Other standout ideas included:

• Trust Fall: inflatable clothing to protect vulnerable young people
• Rollback: a retro DVD café rental concept
• Elev8 Early: a portal supporting young people not in education, employment or training)
• Eco Refillary Pod: a vending machine for reusable container refills.

Henley is committed to nurturing entrepreneurial talent. To find out more about our entrepreneurship initiatives, visit our Entrepreneurship Support webpage.