QMU Means Business: Empowering young innovators through community wealth building
In a bold move to strengthen economic development and community resilience across East Lothian, we have empowered secondary pupils to become innovators in their local areas through a pioneering initiative led by our Business School.
‘QMU Means Business’ launched as a dynamic programme that embedded the principles of Community Wealth Building directly into local schools. Over the course of four weeks, pupils participated in a series of two-hour workshops delivered by staff and students from the Queen Margaret Business School. These sessions equipped young people with essential commercial and social innovation skills, enabling them to tackle real-world challenges with sustainable, community-rooted solutions.
Each workshop introduced practical tools used in business innovation - from identifying local issues and generating creative responses, to developing viable business models and mastering the art of persuasive pitching. The initiative culminated in a celebratory showcase event held at QMU, where student teams presented their projects to an audience of educators, peers, and community stakeholders.
Professor Thomas Peschken-Holt, Head of the Queen Margaret Business School, reflected on the programme’s impact: “QMU Means Business was more than a workshop series – it became a platform for young people to step into the role of changemakers. By encouraging creative thinking, strengthening problem-solving abilities, and nurturing entrepreneurial mindsets, we helped build the foundations for resilient, economically vibrant communities - one idea at a time.”
Callum Maguire, Head of Widening Participation and Outreach, added: “This Community Wealth Building initiative allowed us to harness the creative energy of young people from across the county. It encouraged them to think critically about their communities’ needs and to collaborate on solutions that could help those communities thrive. We saw students challenge conventional thinking and embrace bold ideas. The enthusiasm they brought to QMU Means Business was inspiring, and we were thrilled to witness the emergence of innovative concepts, focusing on topics such as cliff safety and river pollution, which offered real potential to deliver lasting impact.”
The project also proved to be a transformational experience for three Queen Margaret Business School students who delivered four weeks of business enterprise workshops in both Dunbar and Musselburgh Grammar schools. One of them, Rachel Cunningham, 3rd year BA (Hons) Business Management student, said: “We were really encouraged by the enthusiasm and creativity that the pupils brought to the project, and it was extremely rewarding to see them grown in confidence as they developed their ideas and delivered their impressive final pitches. Our involvement in QMU Means Business has been invaluable, as it’s confirmed our desire to pursue a PGDE at QMU, so we can secure careers as business studies teachers in secondary schools.”
QMU Means Business really does place young people and QMU students at the heart of change, and empowers them to promote Community Wealth Building.
A community of creators: entrepreneurship at QMU
At Queen Margaret University, we’ve always believed that big ideas can come from anywhere - and that with the right support, they can grow into something remarkable. That’s exactly what the Startup Studio is all about. It brings together everything our budding entrepreneurs might need: advice, skills development, a supportive community and access to funding.
Through Bright Red Triangle (BRT), Business Gateway and a range of enterprise partners, we help students, staff and alumni take their ideas from early sparks to fully fledged ventures.
Importantly, QMU‑led businesses can tap into a variety of funding opportunities - such as Santander Universities support, the QMU Microfinance Enterprise Fund and the Merchants Company Enterprise Fund - helping entrepreneurs test, launch and grow their ideas.
Take Betsy King, a postgraduate student on the MA Arts, Festivals and Cultural Management programme. Her venture, Raw Acts/Creative Connect Scotland, is making space for emerging artists in the Highlands to test new work and build connections. With support from BRT and £1,550 from the Santander Universities Enterprise Fund, Betsy brought her scratch night (theatre event where artists test out new or experimental work in front of a live audience) to Eden Court in Inverness - an event that’s already attracting attention locally. She’s also taken part in SHIFT 2025, an entrepreneurial skills programme for students and graduates in the creative and cultural industries, and completed the Converge Performing and Production Arts Challenge training.
Another inspiring example is Renate Kriegler Edwards (MA Applied Arts and Social Practice). Her project, Mak‑Mind, uses creative practice to support people in recovery. With funding from the QMU Microfinance Enterprise Fund and Santander, Renate piloted her programme with Maggie’s Forth Valley in 2025, helping working-age cancer survivours create unique silver charms to symbolise their goals and resilience.
We’re also excited to see Ashwani Singh’s ideas taking shape. Ashwani, a BA Business Management graduate, is refining his influencer‑marketing concept Kollabsy.
Together, these stories capture what makes QMU’s entrepreneurial community so special: creativity, courage and the confidence to start something new.
You can read more about QMU’s Startup Studio here