Siobain Hone

Uni Popshop: A Real-World Entrepreneurial Challenge

Uni Popshop is an immersive, hands-on entrepreneurial experience that challenges students to think fast, take risks, and turn ideas into profit—all within a single day. The University transforms an empty retail space in the heart of Bath into a live trading environment, where student teams compete to generate the highest revenue. The winning team keeps their profits, while remaining funds—or losses—are reinvested into next year’s challenge.

Beyond the competition, Uni Popshop is a powerful learning experience. Students reflect on their journey, gaining insights into risk-taking, adaptability, and creative problem-solving—valuable skills for CVs, job applications, and interviews.  Diverse teams are formed two months before the competition which lasts a week and allows 5 teams of 5 students to compete against each other in the real business world.

Leading this initiative requires strategic planning, innovation, and engagement, ensuring students get a truly dynamic and rewarding experience. Unlike traditional entrepreneurship programmes, Uni Popshop thrives on fresh ideas, adaptability, and real-world stakes, inspiring students to maximize their potential and build the confidence to succeed in business.  It allows students to put academic theory into practice and showcase their talents to the City of Bath.

Creating and crafting Uni Popshop is one of the highlights of a 20+ year career in enterprise education.