Iona Bateman

Hi, I’m Iona, a second-year physiotherapy student who has already benefitted massively from the wide range of incredible entrepreneurial opportunities available to University of Southampton students. As Enterprise Officer I would work to promote these opportunities to students from all disciplines, giving everyone the chance to acquire additional career-enhancing skills and experiences, have fun and hopefully make additional money to support your studies and entrepreneurial ventures!  

During my first year at university I developed a health technology startup with a device gamifying the thousands of repetitive muscle actions required to promote neuroplasticity and regain function post-stroke. I received generous support and funding from the Student Enterprise Team and Santander X and went on to take part in competitions globally, successfully pitching for additional funds and gaining places on entrepreneurial student programmes such as Ingenuity, CGIU and with SetSquare.  

In my second year I established a student-led sports massage social enterprise with the support of student enterprise funding and SUSU grant funding with the business model focusing on channeling profits into subsidising other students with the course fees which were a barrier to participation, especially for students from a widening participation background. I was also able to negotiate the lowest fees that the course had ever been offered at by the training company and obtain paid work for physio students massaging student athletes and for external organisations, including taking the only paid group of student massage therapists to work at the London Marathon.  

I have also taken part in Student Enterprise and Future World events from the Founders’ Bootcamp, Small Business Speed Launch and Start-up challenges, Business School events such as the Talent Development Programme as well as Student Innovation challenges and being involved in entrepreneurial societies and pitching competitions which have all given me a solid foundation in the range of enterprise activities available to students to build upon as enterprise officer. During my first two years I have built great connections with staff across SUSU and the university which would be a benefit to the role and enable me to effectively represent the voice of students with an interest in enterprise to help shape future events and initiatives. 

Through my previous roles as academic rep, faculty officer and co-chair of the disability network I have developed a strong interest in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. I will therefore ensure that students from all backgrounds and abilities have the opportunity to engage in enterprise activities, work on projects that improve the student experience, develop a wide range of career-enhancing skills and that your voice and feedback is central to the development of future enterprise initiatives at the university.