About Work in Progress

A space, the team that works there, the community we support, and the things we do here...

The work in Progress office with the word 'inspiration' written on the window.

What we do

Our mission statement sets out what we are here to do

An idea can strike at any time. But turning that idea into a thriving enterprise takes a little longer. It needs to be fleshed out and tested out, refined and evolved – laying a solid foundation around that first spark.

We’re here to help harness passion, creativity and drive, to give ambition physical form – transforming thoughts into actions, and goals into strategies. It’s not a straight line, with a set start and finish. It’s a process of progression, always evolving – breaking new ground and setting new directions. And it’s no solo endeavour. We know that change makers and entrepreneurs are lauded for their single-minded strength, but we also know that their success depends on collaboration.

Through personalised support we turn entrepreneurial learners into workplace-ready professionals. With creative problem-solving and design processes, we turn innovative ideas into products and services that address real challenges and opportunities. And with peer support and professional guidance, we turn hypothetical business models into validated business cases into sustainable start-ups and scalable SMEs.

Whatever your starting point, this is the place for your next step – a space and a service designed to help you and your ideas thrive. This is a place for turning dreamers into doers and visions into ventures.

Who we are

Find out a little more about the people who make Work in Progress happen, what we are all responsible for, and what makes us tick.

  • Simon Harrison

    Simon is Lancaster University's Enterprise Programme Manager with overall responsibility for Work in Progress and its mission to ensure every student has access to entrepreneurial development opportunities.

  • Amanda Brooks

    Amanda is an Enterprise Education Development Manager with principal responsibility for partnership development to increase opportunities for students to access entrepreneurial learning.

  • Rachel Cox

    Rachel is an Enterprise Education Development Manager with principal responsibility for ensuring our service users can access support for their start-up and sustainable innovation projects.

  • Rachel Lord

    Rachel is an Enterprise Programme Officer with principal responsibility for curating the Work in Progress member community and the smooth running of the Work in Progress space on Alex Square.

  • Laura Liver

    Laura in an Enterprise Programme Officer with principal responsibility for ensuring all our customer service and data management systems and processes work effectively.

Who we work with

We have learned to work smart as well as hard, and we do this through partnerships with a number of other services, organisations and initiatives, on campus and in the wider world.

Careers

We work closely with Lancaster University’s Careers service to ensure that all of our activities support the institutional commitment to Widening Participation and that participating in them contributes essential employability experience, skills and commercial awareness towards your Lancaster Award.

LUSU Green

Sustainable and ethical business is a core value of our work. We are proud to be formal partners of LUSU Green, the University's vehicle for engaging students and the local community to take practical responses to the environment.

ReStore

Our new neighbour on Alexandra Square is another sustainability initiative, ReStore, which works in partnership with St John's Hospice and Green Lancaster to ensure students have more options for eco-friendly shopping on campus and to get involved in recycling, reduction and re-using initiatives.

ISS Innovation Hub

When designing and developing innovative digital solutions, we defer to our IT Partnering and Innovation partners. They are always looking for student talent so if you have coding skills, it's worth getting in touch!

Global Experiences

Lancaster University is a global university with campuses in Germany, Ghana, Malaysia and China. The Global Experiences Team provides incredible experiences for students to experience other cultures and expand their career horizons.

Santander Universities

Thanks to the University's strategic partnership with Santander Universities, we are able to offer financial support for start-ups through our pitch awards, as well as exclusive access to other support via the Santander X platform.

Enterprise Educators UK

Lancaster University is proud to be members of EEUK, the representative and lobbying body for the collective enterprise education community in the UK. This membership means Lancaster staff can attend EEUK networking and practice-sharing events, such as the International Enterprise Education Conference, free of charge.

Research and Enterprise Services (RES)

Work in Progress sits within RES alongside other business support and knowledge exchange services, including academic Consultancy and access to specialist lab facilities and office space.

Sunway iLabs

Work in Progress is Lancaster’s provider of entrepreneurial learning and innovation opportunities, but it collaborates wherever possible with its counterparts on our global network of partner campuses, including iLabs in Sunway University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to make opportunities accessible to Lancaster students worldwide.

LU Leipzig

We also work closely with the Careers & Engagement team at our new branch in Leipzig Germany to increase opportunities for students to access educational experiences and employment opportunities in Europe.

Lancaster City Council Business Support Hub

Work in Progress is proud to be part of LCC's network of support providers for start-up and business innovation within the Lancaster district. Other members include the Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses and Lancaster District CVS.

Partner Logos, Lancaster University, LUSU green, Work in Progress, Santander and Enterprise