Entrepreneurs in Residence

Welcome to our EiR network website, aiming for us all to keep in touch and providing regular news and updates.

I am delighted to welcome you to our community of Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EiR). The EiR community helps Lancaster University Management School to join SMEs in their world. In doing so, it helps our students and our faculty to have a greater and deeper understanding of entrepreneurship and the various contexts where is is enacted. Our engagement with EiRs is also beneficial to the development of EiR leaders and their organizations turning our community into a virtuous learning cycle.

It all started back in 2008 when LUMS decided to host within the department an Entrepreneur in Residence – Ian Gordon. Over the following two years Ian worked with us on our internal approach to business and our range of programmes to support entrepreneurs. Ian was tasked to act as a ‘cultural irritant’, to question our ways of working and to challenge our assumptions. The result has been a step change in our provision and the overhaul of some of our business support programmes.

The success of our founding Entrepreneur in Residence (EIRs) allowed us to expand this initiative which, since its conception in 2008, has seen the number of EIRs working with us increase to 29 in 2012 and 50 in 2016. This increase really pushes forward the diverse set of business support programmes the Department offers and build them into departmental teaching and research.

All of our entrepreneurs are longstanding associates of the University and have taken part in many of our flagship programmes, ensuring their views on SMEs are insightful, knowledgeable and really reflect the needs of businesses.

Purpose of the Entrepreneurs in Residence

In particular the group of local, national and international assist the Department in various ways, including:
• refining current programmes to best fit the needs of other owner-managers
• enhancing the experience of our students through activities and career guidance
• helping to foster business ideas and contribute to a variety of classroom activities
• acting as ambassadors to help promote the Department’s business support activity
• supporting the Department of Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Innovation in its undergraduate recruitment

We are excited to be working with these leading owner-managers and to see the benefits they will bring to the Department and the wider SME community. Please get in touch if you would like to know more about this programme and our engagement activities.

Dr. Ricardo Zozimo
Lecturer in Entrepreneurship
Lancaster University Management School