The Enterprising Futures Academy, established by one of our inspiring graduates, is coming to Newcastle University to support ambitious students and alumni
Global entrepreneur Rob Wood (MBA, 1992) has joined forces with Newcastle University to help enterprising young people gain the tools, confidence, and support they need to be successful in life and business through the Enterprising Futures Academy.
11 September 2024
Meet Rob Wood
Rob is an entrepreneur and founder of the Rob Wood Enterprising Futures Academy.
Rob's entrepreneurial journey began in the North East of England, where his early ventures into sales and business laid the foundation for a successful career. After earning an MBA from Newcastle University, he rose through the ranks in the pharmaceutical industry, eventually launching and leading two companies.
At the age of 42, Rob founded STEM Healthcare with a bold mission to revolutionise pharmaceutical marketing. His innovative approach led to expansion into 51 countries, and he eventually sold the business after achieving his goal.
Today, Rob is focused on nurturing technology-driven start-ups, fostering growth, and promoting innovation. He is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs, helping them build the confidence, skills, and opportunities needed to achieve their own success.
"My vision is to make enterprise accessible to everyone across the region and beyond."
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Empowering learners of all ages with the skills and confidence to thrive
Enterprising Futures, launched this September and is a collaborative initiative between Rob and Newcastle University. The programme is designed to empower individuals of all ages with the essential skills, confidence, and support they need to thrive in both life and business. The primary goal of Enterprising Futures is to integrate enterprise and entrepreneurship into the educational journey, starting from secondary education and continuing through to higher education.
This will be achieved by:
- Working in partnership with stakeholders including the University’s network of 300 secondary schools across England to develop practical tools and a growing hub of learning, with recorded video lessons, entrepreneurship toolkits, and other support materials.
- Aiming to inspire all learners through stories – highlighting the stories of successful school leavers, university students, and graduates who have become entrepreneurs. These inspiring individuals will share their journeys, detailing both their successes and the lessons they've learned along the way.
- Enlisting the help of Student and Graduate Ambassadors who will work with partner schools to engage and inspire students at in-person events.
Bringing Enterprising Futures to Newcastle University
The programme aims to open access to enterprise and entrepreneurship through designing and developing experiential learning opportunities that will introduce our students to innovation and entrepreneurship methods, with a plan to provide access to real-world opportunities or challenge spaces and develop new initiatives to support start-ups.
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