News
Introducing Epicentre
Tuesday 24th May
When I was about to graduate from Canterbury University after 4 years of training in Electrical Engineering, I remember passing by the recruitment fairs with various companies from around Canterbury and New Zealand, and remember thinking, where are all the really interesting companies? Where are this generations Taits, Navmans, Dynamic Controls etc? Students were either shuttled into cubical jobs at these sorts of companies, or back into academia and postgrad study. Neither of those options appealed to me even remotely.
It just seemed such a waste of a great science and engineering university such as Canterbury, that there was no push for graduates to take their own ideas and develop them into real world products and businesses. It wasn't even considered an option, the culture just doesn't exist, and I want to change that. Not only should it be considered an option, it should be the default option! One of the primary functions of Universities should be providing a foundation for graduates to build new and exciting companies.
One of several reasons why I think few graduates end up attempting a startup is that there are really very few places to get help when venturing out on your own. That's the particular problem I hope to tackle head on with Epicentre. I want to create the sort of work environment and culture that really helps small startups: an informal, open exchange of advice, and experiences. Starting a business can be isolating, ups and downs of extreme motivation, and extremely low motivation. A vibrant social work environment can go a long way into minimising those ups and downs.
Ultimately my goal with the Epicentre is to really offer an environment that makes it as easy as possible for smart people to have the best shot a getting their business off the ground. I want it to be a place where this generations great New Zealand technology companies can be created.
Layton Duncan
It just seemed such a waste of a great science and engineering university such as Canterbury, that there was no push for graduates to take their own ideas and develop them into real world products and businesses. It wasn't even considered an option, the culture just doesn't exist, and I want to change that. Not only should it be considered an option, it should be the default option! One of the primary functions of Universities should be providing a foundation for graduates to build new and exciting companies.
One of several reasons why I think few graduates end up attempting a startup is that there are really very few places to get help when venturing out on your own. That's the particular problem I hope to tackle head on with Epicentre. I want to create the sort of work environment and culture that really helps small startups: an informal, open exchange of advice, and experiences. Starting a business can be isolating, ups and downs of extreme motivation, and extremely low motivation. A vibrant social work environment can go a long way into minimising those ups and downs.
Ultimately my goal with the Epicentre is to really offer an environment that makes it as easy as possible for smart people to have the best shot a getting their business off the ground. I want it to be a place where this generations great New Zealand technology companies can be created.
Layton Duncan