Pitching Products across the Pond: Entrepreneurship in London

In March, Accent London welcomed participants in the Purdue Global Entrepreneurship program, recently developed in partnership with the Mitch Daniels School of Business. This one-week intensive course offered students a deep dive into the world of entrepreneurship in a real-world setting. The course was led on site by local Accent faculty Nico Macdonald. With his experience across tech, design, and media, Nico brought deep expertise in crafting the syllabus and course structure. Leveraging his professional network, he arranged two visits to local companies, a guest lecture, and an entrepreneurship project that gave students practical insights into launching a startup.

On the very first day, students were divided into teams and assigned the task of developing a product or service to address a need they identified in their lives or community. Throughout the course, students participated in workshops that covered critical entrepreneurial concepts: problem framing, understanding user needs, ideation, competition research, prototyping, feasibility, and evaluating commercial potential. This rigorous process allowed the students to apply theoretical knowledge in a hands-on environment, developing their ideas step by step.

Accent played a pivotal role in ensuring the students had access to experts and real-world experience. A key highlight was the guest lecture from Nicholas Coutts, a renowned entrepreneur who has worked with over 300 startups across various industries. Nicholas provided guidance, helping students navigate the journey from idea conception to product validation. His insights into the roles of investors, customers, and market dynamics were particularly beneficial, making the entrepreneurial process feel more tangible for the students.

In addition to the lecture, Accent arranged visits to two innovative companies: Plexal and Blue Garage. These co-working spaces foster collaboration among startups tackling society’s most pressing challenges. At Plexal, students met the team behind CarbonQuota, a startup focused on helping businesses track and reduce their carbon footprint. At Blue Garage, they spoke with the founders of KwickScreen, a company aiming at revolutionizing hospital and office spaces with portable screens and smart glass. The latter visit had an exciting connection to Purdue, as KwickScreen’s products are already in use on campus. Both visits were a perfect opportunity for students to interact with entrepreneurs, gaining firsthand advice on building a business from the ground up. Topics covered included business pivoting, fundraising strategies, and overcoming the inevitable challenges that arise in any entrepreneurial journey.

The culmination of the course was a final project presentation, where students showcased their product or service to the class and a panel of guest judges. By building on their experiences on site, students delivered presentations of outstanding quality, impressing the judges with their creativity, thoroughness, and professionalism.

To provide high-level educational content, Accent relies on a deep network of local faculty in each Study Center. All instructors have years of experience in the design and delivery of experiential courses in a U.S. education abroad context. To discuss potential courses or other ways to customize your education abroad program, please reach out to the Accent Development team at development@accentglobal.com