An enterprise initiative developed by Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, the University of Waikato and Priority One has seen ten Tauranga students gain first-hand experience of what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

The Summer Start-Up Scholarship Programme gives students ten weeks of mentoring and $5,000 towards developing their project or idea into reality.

Sasha Turfrey, winner of a Project Ignite summer scholarship. Photo: Supplied.

They also receive help from an expert ‘start-up' coach as well as advice and support and access to a shared working space.

Based around experiential learning, the students work through a series of start-up modules that are customised to their own ideas, hear inspirational speakers, attend networking events and learn how to apply for seed funding.

At the end of the programme they will pitch their project to a panel of sponsors.

Some five students from Bay of Plenty Polytechnic were awarded a scholarship, from a range of different subject areas, and will begin the programme in late November.

Dr. Amanda Torr, Academic Director at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, says: 'The quality of the project ideas presented were amazing and it was a difficult decision to just choose ten.”

'We are really looking forward to seeing how the project develops over the ten weeks and helping the students take their ideas through to commercialisation.

'It is a great project to be involved in and a great example of collaboration between the partners to use our expertise and resources to benefit Tauranga.”

At just 19-years-old, Sasha Turfrey is one of the youngest students to be awarded the scholarship.

The year two Culinary Arts student started her studies with the Polytechnic in 2014, completing the Certificate in Cookery (Level 3), and is now on her way to completing her NZ Diploma in Cookery (Level 5).

She was also awarded a silver medal in the prestigious 2015 Nestle Toque d'Or competition.

Sasha's idea was to develop an experiential kitchen (The Lab) – a place where culinarians who want to develop an idea, menu, or concept can come together in a learning space and have the resources to facilitate that development.

'I am so excited to have been chosen,” says Sasha, a Mount Maunganui College graduate.

'To be given this chance is amazing and it has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me.

'Working alongside other students who are also working towards a goal is going to be invaluable. I want to create a space that is available to students outside of class hours where they can come to be creative and develop their ideas.”

The five Bay of Plenty Polytechnic students to be awarded the scholarship are:

Luke Sygrove: New Zealand Diploma in Architectural Technology

Sasha Turfrey: New Zealand Certificate in Hospitality (Cookery)

Scott Callaghan: New Zealand Diploma in Business Studies

Tasmyn Roach: 2014 graduate Bachelor of Design (Fashion)

Teddy Stanaway: New Zealand Diploma in Business