Glenalmond College has launched a world-first entrepreneurship programme in partnership with the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
As part of the Inspiring Female Founders (IFF) programme, around 50 pupils aged 14 to 17 attended the opening session on ‘The Entrepreneurial Mindset’ at Glenalmond College on Friday 6 November,
This was led by Professor Pinar Ozcan, Academic Director of the Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Centre, working with Lucy Mullins, entrepreneur and co-founder of Stepladder, a leading fintech company.
Jenny Davey, Glenalmond College Warden, said: “I could not be prouder that Glenalmond is the first school to work with the Saïd Business School and the University of Oxford to use the wisdom and experience of female founders to inspire the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
“Who knows if a single spark of an idea that begins to glow in these sessions will grow into a flame that will impact the lives of millions across the world. Our pupils learned to harness their creativity to explore ideas and get excited about developing their project as a team.”
The Inspiring Female Founders (IFF) programme is part of a global Oxford Saïd platform led by Professor Ozcan. Women make up 10% of early-stage entrepreneurs globally, yet only 2.3% of global venture capital in 2024 went to female-only founding teams.
Professor Ozcan said: “We are so excited to kick off this entrepreneurship programme, which will get Glenalmond students to learn about how to start a business, give them exposure to inspiring female founders and reduce gender biases in entrepreneurship. We are also very grateful to Glenalmond for supporting our free online entrepreneurship webinar series for girls around the world, starting in January 2027.”
Over the next six months, Glenalmond pupils will take part in workshops led by established entrepreneurs, with AI built into every session through SOFIA, the IFF’s AI tool. Supported by Glenalmond trainers, each pupil will develop a venture idea of their own, with the opportunity to pitch it in person at the University of Oxford in Spring 2027 at the final showcase.
The IFF programme will build students’ skills in creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, partnership, communication, and resilience, experience they can draw on in university applications, CVs, and future interviews.
Glenalmond College is a co-ed independent boarding and day school for pupils aged 12 to 18, set within a 300-acre estate in Perthshire.