BUSINESS ideas from students will be turned into reality this week as York hosts the regional Graduate Entrepreneurship Boot Camp.

More than 30 entrepreneurs from across the county are set to gather at York St John University for the annual event, sponsored by Finance Yorkshire and Blacks Solicitors.

The bootcamp takes the form of a four day residential event, and has awarded places to a number of new businesses including ReCONNECT, a venture in the first stage of planning which aims to address the gap in therapeutic approaches for army personnel and veterans that are experiencing mental health issues.

ReCONNECT is the brainchild of York St John University Psychology PhD graduate Elizabeth Freeman.

Miss Freeman said: "Boot Camp will give me the opportunity to seek assistance with pitching to gatekeepers, conduct market research, help with business finances and improve my communication skills when approaching new business opportunities."

Also winning a place is Becci Milligan, a first year undergraduate at University of York with TeamBecci, which will be a free mobile app designed to help students organise their personal and academic lives

Meanwhile York St John University Masters Graduate, Simona Manni, is producing promotional videos for a range of clients with her business Macchiato Productions.

Boot Camp is now in its eighth year and this year is hosted by York St John University for the first time.

The project is a collaboration of eleven higher education partner institutions from the Graduate Entrepreneurship Project, including University of Bradford, University of Huddersfield, University of Hull, University of Leeds, Leeds College of Art, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds Trinity University, University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, University of York, and York St John University.

Boot Campers will attend specialist workshops throughout the week that will be led by experts in social enterprise, finance, marketing, law and intellectual property.

It will also include a key note speech from Sheffield Hallam University graduate and social entrepreneur, Sophie Maxwell, at a celebration event on July 3 that will give the entrepreneurs the chance to network with key enterprise figures as well as meet established graduate businesses to hear their experiences.

Robert Sager, Enterprise Officer at York St John University said: "Boot Camp gives the region’s entrepreneurial students and graduates an inspirational environment in which they can explore and develop their business ideas.

"They will leave the camp equipped with a wealth of knowledge to start them on their journey into business."