Newquay was the location for a new style of business support developed by the University of Exeter, which is all about getting outside and doing things differently to spark new ideas in your business.
The Innovation in the Wild series takes enterprises into “spaces that invigorate and inspire”, creating the right conditions for generating thinking and discussion within peer-to-peer networks.
The Headland Hotel hosted the latest event recently which included a workshop with Professor Allen Alexander and bodyboarding with Newquay Activity Centre.
Hollie Kirk, lecturer in entrepreneurship, explained: “Creating these events in the natural environment has supported our participants to realise their own entrepreneurial spirit, alongside your more traditional business acumen. A challenge for anyone in today’s fast paced and hectic business environment.”
Professor Alexander, who is head of the Sustainable Futures team at the University of Exeter Business School in Penryn, added: “I originally conceived these sessions to encourage new approaches in learning about innovative ideas and theory, but now they have become so much more – from helping nascent entrepreneurs to develop their first pitch; to stimulating new products and services through the process of bio-mimicry; to understanding the circular economy, we are so pleased to be able to use the natural capital of the southwest for such beneficial economic purposes.”
Newquay Activity Centre director, Rob Barber, said: “It was great to be involved in this new approach to supporting businesses and we hope that delegates walked away feeling refreshed and re-energised, equipped with new ideas and practices that can help them take their business to the next level.”
