Enabling future innovators

Designed to unleash creative potential, Unleash Space – the University of Auckland’s new hub for innovation and entrepreneurship officially opened last month. As a founding sponsor of the hub, Beca celebrated alongside university staff, students, and special guest Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The student-led hub is managed by the University’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Centre Director Wendy Kerr says, “Students can design and create anything they can imagine. We have wrap-around support and leading edge equipment, and we also have experiential programmes and events that can help them grow their idea to a successful venture.”

Students and staff from any faculty and discipline can use the space – which will bring people together from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines.

NZ Managing Director Darryl-Lee Wendelborn says that this diversity of perspective is what drives innovation at Beca.

“It’s great to see different disciplines coming together to learn from each other and collaborate in the space. This project really connected with us at Beca – being a multi-disciplinary organisation, creativity and innovation is fostered through our teams’ diverse perspectives and this is the approach we take to solving our clients’ problems.”

The space has been open to students since August last year and has already hosted a range of workshops, seminars and programmes including the Solve It Programme which Beca participated in. The programme challenged students to come up with fresh ideas on how to encourage and maintain gender diversity in Beca’s future.

The sponsorship aligns closely with Beca’s commitment to partnering with universities and industry bodies to nurture and encourage talented and creative thinkers for the future.

For more information about the Unleash Space visit www.unleashspace.ac.nz.