Encouraging Dynamic Global Entrepreneurs

American students from New York's Columbia University landed in Scotland looking to take the leading EDGE in enterprise.

The sixteen young Americans teamed up with their Scottish counterparts at Glasgow University and Dumbarton Schools to take part in an eight week summer programme called Encouraging Dynamic Global Entrepreneurs (EDGE).

The young entrepreneurs worked with a wide range of companies and came up with ideas that included advertising on underground trains linked to particular stops, promoting whisky through a casino environment and water taxis. 

One idea, creating an i-Pod-based directory of local eateries and restaurants, may even be going into development soon.

The companies believe they will soon see bottom line benefits from having the EDGE students participate in their businesses:

Phil Johnson, of S31 in Clydebank – one of the companies that took part in the scheme – asked students to conduct a feasibility study into expanding his electronic recycling firm into Europe. He told the Glasgow Evening Times: 

"We gave (the EDGE project) a brief about how we wanted to understand the eastern European market much better and see if we could set up an operation there. 

"It came back to us with a comprehensive report and even gave us some leads and contacts. We would never have got round to doing that and would eventually have paid some management company a fortune to do it for us."

We often think of America as the land of opportunity and enterprise but the EDGE programme gave participants an insight into Scotland's vibrant business culture as well as the chance to form links and gain experience.

The American students didn't only leave with the practical experience of working to help small businesses grow but also with positive memories of Scotland as a viable and attractive place to work and do business.

Ayinwi Muma, a Columbia student working with Glasgow telecoms firm Exchange Communications said:

"So many doors have opened in my mind. I thought I was going to be an academic, but now with this business grounding, I believe I have what it takes to start something new."

The structure of the eight week programme started with a two week immersion programme at the University of Glasgow learning about entrepreneurship, enterprise leadership, cross-cultural teamwork, consulting, and economic and community development.

With the support of industry experts the students were then moved into teams acting as consultants to small businesses in Dunbartonshire working to develop real plans and strategies to promote growth and cost savings over a six-week period.

EDGE was developed by Columbia University in the City of New York and Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire in conjunction with the University of Glasgow, and with support from the European Union, the Scottish Government, Dunbartonshire Education Authorities, the Scottish Institute for Enterprise, Careers Scotland, and 16 small to medium size enterprises in Dunbartonshire. 

Find out more about the programme: 

• www.cce.columbia.edu/students/experiential/edge.php
• www.scottish-enterprise.com/edge