UC’s Centre for Entrepreneurship (UCE) provides students with opportunities to build capabilities in entrepreneurship and innovation. All of our activities are connected with external organisations, enabling our students to gain real world hands-on experience. UCE’s programmes and events are open to all UC students regardless of the degree of year. No prior experience is required.
The UCE community of founders, mentors, experts and advisors fosters innovation and creativity where students are challenged in a supportive environment and are encouraged to take risks, explore new concepts, and make things happen. We want to equip our students to have a real positive impact on society.
UCE is a leader in the startup ecosystem in Ōtautahi Christchurch, offering exciting opportunities to founders and researchers. Most recently, the Validator series of challenges, powered by ChristchurchNZ and delivered by UCE, aim to stimulate innovation and the commercialisation of new ideas in key economic sectors in Waitaha Canterbury and beyond. It gives participants access to high quality content and coaching, industry connections, and exposure within the innovation ecosystem. This helps them to validate that they have a real solution to a real problem, and that there is a set of customers who will be prepared to pay for their innovation.
UCE’s vision
Our aim is to deliver highly versatile graduates who can contribute to society in a meaningful and positive way.
At UCE we want to:
- Nurture the development of more employable UC graduates with exceptional entrepreneurial capability.
- Become a driving force in the entrepreneurial ecosystem regionally and nationally.
- Expand UC’s national and international entrepreneurial networks.
- To be seen as a central pillar for innovation and entrepreneurship for the Christchurch community and beyond
- Be a centre for excellence on innovation and entrepreneurial research.
