Helping SME's to find Net Zero | The Postgraduate Enterprise Summer School with HSBC

The Postgraduate Enterprise Summer School (PESS2023) took place at the University of Birmingham last week, offering postgraduate students a valuable platform for gaining enterprise skills, consultancy experience, and exploring the commercialisation of research ideas.

The programme included Postgraduates from the University of Birmingham and Warwick University working through a sustainability challenge set by employer partner HSBC. 

The participants with diverse academic disciplines, were introduced to each other on the first day and organised into teams. Their main objective throughout the week was to devise a solution that would help HSBC in guiding 2 million SMEs toward a net-zero future. The program featured training workshops focusing on ideation, validation, and presentation skills.

Challenge: With Climate Change and Net Zero in mind. What steps should HSBC take to drive 2 million SME's to begin their transition to a net zero future?

The programme is facilitated by University Graduate School and Careers Network.

This year, the programme operated from three separate locations across Birmingham. The first day was held at HSBC's Birmingham headquarters in Centenary Square, providing an ideal backdrop for scene-setting.

The following days were campus based with further training and guest sessions from John Cooke, Holly Prescott and Miruna Chipara. Team time sessions provided the opportunity to develop ideas, find solutions and create a final pitch. 

On Wednesday, the programme briefly moved from campus to The Exchange and featured a networking lunch with advice and guidance available to participants from the HSBC Senior Leadership Team.

Presentations took place on the final day at HSBC (Centenary Square) as six teams battled it out in a pitch competition format. The judging panel included Rebecca Picton (HSBC) Daniel Jones (HSBC), Professor Duncan Shephard (UoB Graduate School) and Jayne Sharples (UoB Careers Network).

Team 6 (Integre) were eventual winners in a closely fought contest. 

We would like to thank everyone who made the programme possible, especially staff at HSBC who gave up their time and for their hospitality during the first 

Written by Bob Lee