Entrepreneurship is often talked about in the classroom, but what does it really look like in practice? Students from three local schools discovered the answer when they stepped inside Grassroots Innovation Centre for its first-ever Sixth Form Business Open Day.
Organised by Grassroots Innovation Centre and hosted at Keble College and Grassroots, the event welcomed Business Studies students from Chenderit School, The Oxford Academy and The Swan School for a day designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the realities of entrepreneurship.
As an innovation centre, we’re passionate about helping innovators turn ideas into successful businesses. But inspiring the next generation is important too. By opening our doors to local schools, we’re giving young people the opportunity to discover what it means to work in an innovation community and meet the people who are building businesses every day.
The day was led by Rob Nicoll, Innovation Director at Grassroots Innovation Centre, who challenged students to think beyond traditional career paths and consider entrepreneurship as an exciting and achievable option. As the students approach an important crossroads, making decisions about university and their future careers, Rob encouraged them to also recognise that there may be opportunities on their doorstep in one of the world’s leading centres for innovation and enterprise.
He said: “Our aim was to bring business theory to life and show students that entrepreneurship is an achievable career path, not something reserved for a select few. By bringing students into a working innovation centre and introducing them to founders who are building businesses every day, we’re helping them connect what they learn in the classroom with the opportunities that exist beyond school. We hope this is the first of many events that strengthen the links between Oxford’s innovation community and local schools.”
Learning from entrepreneurs
One of the highlights of the day was hearing directly from entrepreneurs based at Grassroots Innovation Centre.
Catherine Hurley Arbibe, Co-founder of Newroad30, and Jeremy Bassett, Founder of SuperBenji, shared honest accounts of building businesses in the healthcare innovation and AI sales sectors. Rather than simply talking about success, they spoke openly about the challenges they had faced, the risks they had taken and the lessons they had learned along the way.
The students were full of thoughtful questions. How do you find your unique selling proposition? What would you do differently if you were starting again? How do you know when to take a risk? It quickly became an open and engaging discussion, giving students a realistic insight into what life as an entrepreneur is really like.
Standing out in a changing world
The programme also included an employability workshop delivered by Zoe Greenwood of Oxford HR, also based here at Grassroots, who explored how students can stand out in an increasingly competitive job market.
The session covered CV writing, cover letters and the growing role of artificial intelligence in recruitment. Students were encouraged to use AI as a tool to help generate ideas and structure applications but also reminded that authenticity remains one of their greatest strengths. Employers want to know what makes an applicant unique – their experiences, interests and the personal qualities that cannot be replicated by AI, as well as recognising and researching the values an employer is looking for in the job description.
The art of selling
The day concluded with a practical lesson in one of the most valuable business skills of all…selling. Students were challenged to “sell” another student they had met during the day, identifying their strengths and presenting their qualities to the group. The activity demonstrated that selling is ultimately about understanding people, recognising value and communicating with confidence – skills that will benefit them in both business and their future careers.
As one teacher reflected afterwards:
“The students really enjoyed the event and the opportunity to understand theoretical business concepts in the real world with real business examples. Almost all are now considering establishing their own enterprises.”
Looking ahead
The Sixth Form Business Open Day marks the beginning of what we hope will become an ongoing programme connecting Oxford’s innovation community with local schools.
Anna Goodman, Centre Manager, Grassroots said: “By opening our doors, sharing real experiences and creating opportunities for young people to ask questions, challenge assumptions and think differently, we’re helping to inspire the innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders of tomorrow. We look forward to welcoming even more students to Grassroots Innovation Centre in the future.”
Interested in bringing your school to a future Business Open Day or partnering with Grassroots Innovation Centre? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to find out more.
