Backing the next generation of purpose-driven entrepreneurs
Curzon & ARU Partnership
Curzon is proud to support Anglia Ruskin University’s Enterprise Impact Fund — investing in student and graduate ventures that combine commercial innovation with meaningful social impact.
About the Initiative
The Enterprise Impact Fund (EIF) builds on the success of ARU’s Social Value Fund, supporting student founders who demonstrate entrepreneurial talent, social purpose, and the ambition to create lasting change. Seven shortlisted finalists — emerging from the #ThinkBigARU Pitching Competition — will compete for investment at a Dragon’s Den-style pitch final in Cambridge on Thursday, judged by a panel that includes Curzon’s own Doug Badham and Chetan Trivedi.
Meet the Judges
Doug Badham
With over 20 years of international consulting experience across the Financial Services, and Technology industries, Doug leads the Curzon Consulting Financial Services practice, supporting banking, insurance and wealth management clients.
Doug’s expertise is primarily in business strategy development, sales and distribution optimisation, customer experience, and operating model.
Chetan Trivedi
Chetan has over 20 years’ international consulting experience. For the past 15 years he has supported Healthcare payers, providers and medical devices companies on strategy, operational improvement and digital transformation engagements across the UK, wider Europe, Middle East, US, India and Canada.
What the fund offers
Financial Backing
Financial investment awarded to the venture best positioned to make a real-world difference.
Expert Mentorship
All finalists receive mentoring, with the winner gaining 12 months of targeted support.
Pitch Experience
A Dragon's Den-style final at ARU Cambridge, presenting to an experienced judging panel.
Judging Criteria
01. Strong Market understanding
02. A viable business model
03. A realistic execution plan
04. Clear potential for social impact
Programme Timeline
#ThinkBigARU competition
Student and graduate ventures pitch for a place in the EIF shortlist.
Shortlist announced
Six to eight finalists selected on entrepreneurial talent, purpose, and social impact potential.
Dragon’s Den final — May 2026
Finalists present to Doug Badham, Chetan Trivedi, and fellow judges at ARU Cambridge. The £5,000 investment is awarded.
Ongoing support
All finalists receive continued mentoring. Winner gains 12 months of dedicated post-final support.
Voices from the Programme
Curzon Consulting exists to help businesses solve complex problems in bold, innovative ways that result in enduring commercial, customer, and social value. That’s why we’re thrilled to be sponsoring this year’s Enterprise Impact Fund at ARU. We look forward to engaging with each finalist’s business ideas and being inspired by the impacts and benefits they aim to realise, and to providing some impetus to these ventures’ future success.
Doug Badham, Partner: Financial Services, Curzon Consulting
At ARU, we are committed to nurturing enterprise that creates both commercial value and social impact. This year, we’ve shortlisted an impressive group of ideas — and I’m excited to see the difference they will go on to make.”
Prof Gary Packham, Pro Vice Chancellor of Student Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, ARU
“Initiatives like the Enterprise Impact Fund create a valuable space to share ideas, challenge thinking and gain insight that helps strengthen new ventures.”
Martin Wing, Chief Operating Officer, X-Forces Enterprise
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Curzon Sponsors the 2024 AMBS Case Interview Competition
Curzon Consulting is thrilled to sponsor this year’s Alliance Manchester Business School Consultancy Case Competition.
Introduced in 2016, the competition enables AMBS MBA students to showcase their skills, innovative thinking, and problem-solving abilities. It’s a platform that challenges them and provides them with real-world experience in tackling complex business scenarios in preparation for interview processes across a variety of industries.
Curzon is a key recruitment partner for the full-time MBA programme, and everyone involved is excited to further develop this relationship. Last Friday, Curzon representatives Nigel Brannan, and AMBS Alumni Sarbo Saha, and Aziz Yuldashev, joined the group and were introduced to the students, leading them through an interactive case study session.
We also heard from Class 2025 students Yasar W Khan and Syed Arhaam Ahmed from last year’s winning team, who both shared their top tips on how to succeed in the competition.
The students now have a few months of preparation before the preliminary rounds begin in January 2025. We can’t wait to see how everyone gets on!
Nigel said
We deeply appreciate Chris Garnett and Nick Burrows for your support and are excited by the enthusiasm and energy of the participating MBA students. It’s a pleasure to partner with you on this valuable and enjoyable aspect of their course”.
Thank you to Nigel Brannan, Sarbo Saha and Aziz Yuldashev for your assistance on the day.
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Concerns & opportunities: Harnessing the skills opportunities of a recharged electric vehicle sector
The recent RECHARGE UK report on ‘Harnessing the skills opportunities of a recharged electric vehicle sector’, in association with Curzon Consulting, explores how the UK can equip its workforce for the exciting opportunities emerging in the EV sector.
It’s clear from the research that various concerns are prevalent across multiple stakeholders.
The number one concern for all participants is attaining and maintaining a capable, skilled workforce. Cited through various frustrations in workforce shortages, EV skills gaps and funding.
DNOs, CPOs & Tech-Safe accredited organisations all struggle to recruit electricians with the relevant EV experience. Many indicate the existing workforce does not have the specific knowledge required to maintain the EV sector or the capability to meet the future demands of the industry, with little time to retrain.
Forecasts predict a shortage of qualified technicians to service the growing number of electric vehicles. Skilled EV personnel are often lured by large contracts and concentrated in urban areas, leaving a limited talent pool for smaller organisations in rural communities.
Similarly, Local Authorities, especially those in rural areas, work hard to attract qualified staff for EV infrastructure projects. With limited, temporary funding, they lack the budget to hire & retain experienced staff.
Vehicle Manufacturers are concerned about recruiting staff across the entire EV design & manufacturing process. Reskilling the existing workforce will be an expensive challenge, with many traditional mechanic roles disappearing to be replaced by the shift to electric.
Software Providers have similar recruitment challenges, with software development courses too focused on marketing applications and not enough on practical engineering applications.
For those with specialised EV skills, sourcing and attracting qualified professionals is demanding due to low unemployment and high competition within the software development field.
However, it’s not all doom & gloom… the report made four recommendations to ensure the EV sector can compete globally and meet the stakeholder concerns.
As expected, the EV sector offers significant, job & career opportunities, for a diverse workforce, across the entire sector. However, a reform in education is required to ensure qualified, and capable individuals meet the needs of the industry.
Upskilling and retraining to support the continued improvement and promotion of opportunities to the existing workforce and reskilling programmes, to ensure that those in the workforce without relevant skills, outside of the EV sector can access the growing number of opportunities on offer.
However, for the sector to meet the demands, these recommendations require collaboration between the Government, the EV industry, and the Education sector.
Details of the full report can be found here.
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Harnessing the skills opportunities of a recharged electric vehicle sector
We are honoured to be the official supporter of a new report “Harnessing the skills opportunities of a recharged electric vehicle sector”. The report was prepared by RECHARGE UK, the EV arm of the REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology) in association with Curzon Consulting. The report examines how the UK can equip its workforce for the exciting opportunities emerging in the EV sector.
Research compiled from industry stakeholders explores four key recommendations all requiring collaboration between the EV sector, local & central government, and educators, to ensure the UK workforce is prepared for, and, has the opportunities to learn the relevant skills needed to shape a sustainable, capable workforce.
Matt Western MP, Shadow Minister for Higher Education and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Electric Vehicles, said:
If we are going to decarbonise our economy and take advantage of the green opportunities of the future, we will need a workplace capable of delivering it. That’s why this report by the REA is so important and I hope it positively influences the debate.
There’s so much enthusiasm for the climate agenda among young people we need to harness. I want to see the Government commit to supporting colleges to specialise in the technical skills needed to build electric vehicles, as well as reform the apprenticeship levy to unlock funding for retraining and reskilling employees in the automotive sector.
Andrew Morgan, Managing Partner at Curzon Consulting, said:
Our contributing research with industry stakeholders on the frontline of the EV revolution shines a light on the exciting new career paths it is creating and the determination they are making to grow and develop the talent pool. It also underlines the urgent and continued need to do more and for industry to be supported by Government to match the efforts and underpin the continued expansion of the EV sector.
Details of the full report can be found here.
