The Open University welcomes two new Entrepreneurs in Residence

The Open University (OU) is thrilled to announce the addition of two new Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIRs) who will work with the university to help aspiring business owners.

IT and Telecoms entrepreneur, Ben Partridge, and Scottish entrepreneur and investor Russell Dalgleish join a dynamic group of business professionals bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to support the OU’s Open Business Creators project. This ground-breaking entrepreneurship initiative provides support to staff, students, and alumni who are looking to grow their businesses and ideas.

Ben Partridge has spent over 30 years in the IT and telecoms industry and founded several successful businesses. As Head of Learning and Innovation at Derby University, he led the unit to a surplus of £1.2 million and has held previous EIR posts at the University of Surrey and the Satellite Applications Catapult. He is currently Director of Ashby House which supports business accelerators, incubators and growth organisations with a complete programme of business support.

I have a background in starting and exiting businesses and, along the journey, received a lot of help, advice and support from more experienced entrepreneurs. The opportunity to work with The Open University and its excellent Open Business Creators programme is a chance to give a little back and support the next generation of entrepreneurs as they start or continue their journey.
Ben Partridge
Open Business Creators, Entrepreneur in Residence

Russell Dalgleish is the Founding Managing Partner of Exolta Capital Partners and the Founding Chair of the Scottish Business Network. He has a notable track record in the international technology sector and plays a pivotal role in advising and supporting business leaders and entrepreneurs in achieving global success. He is also the Founding Director of Net Zero Nation, a non-profit organisation addressing carbon footprint reduction in SMEs, and actively works to address gender imbalances in business through support for the Association of Scottish Businesswomen and Changing the Chemistry organizations.

I was delighted to be selected for the honour of taking up the Entrepreneur In Residence role with The Open University. My passion today is to support the entrepreneur and I feel the Open Business Creators (OBC) programme offers something not currently available in the UK market. By providing OU graduates, alumni and anyone looking to start or scale a business with access to funding, mentorship and learning resources, the OBC programme has the potential, as it scales, to be a gamechanger for the aspiring entrepreneur. At a time when education and learning are being transformed by technology, I believe the OU is in a superb position, as a leading distance e-learning and research institution, to empower future UK business leaders.
Russell Dalgleish
Open Business Creators, Entrepreneur in Residence

The Open Business Creators programme is designed to empower individuals across the four UK nations to embark on and progress on their entrepreneurial journeys. By equipping participants with tools and resources, facilitating virtual events, and offering a mentorship programme, the initiative aims to cultivate a new generation of business creators. Aligned with the university’s commitment to opening up opportunities, the programme provides mentorship, as well as access to cutting-edge facilities and seed investment.

The Entrepreneurs in Residence at the OU is a driving force for entrepreneurship and innovation within the OU community, offering invaluable guidance to employers, OU partners, students, staff, and alumni. By sharing their knowledge and real-world experiences, the EIRs help individuals develop the essential skills needed to navigate the challenges of launching and growing a business.

Open Business Creators' Entrepreneurs in Residence are:

Julian Hall

Founder of Ultra Education and co-founder of Take Your Shot Studios
Certified business mentor, speaker, author, and co-writer of three university degrees in entrepreneurship
Recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education

Safaraz Ali

Founder of Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance and CEO of Pathway group
Social entrepreneur with a focus on skills, employability, and the care sector
Published business author and diversity, equality and inclusion champion

Mags Byrne

Founder of E-Stars and First for Players
Former CEO and director at the English Premier League, Football Association England, and England Boxing
Dual qualified lawyer in Wales, England, and the Republic of Ireland

Ravinder Gino Hoonjan

Director at Personal Progress and Bright Minds Consulting
Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner and mindset coach specialising in company culture and mental health

Alex Cole